POWER CRISIS
‘Eskom is really killing us,’ says Ramaphosa at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela birthday celebration
‘For peace’s sake, resolve the electricity crisis, suspend Eskom CEO André de Ruyter and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan,’ President Cyril Ramaphosa was told on Monday afternoon.
The ongoing electricity crisis and the ANC’s succession debate ahead of the party’s December elective conference took centre stage at anti-apartheid Struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s posthumous 86th birthday celebration on Monday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa received a cordial welcome at Madikizela-Mandela’s former home in Soweto as he joined scores of people gathered to celebrate and honour her life.
A crowd makes its way from the house of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to attend the official ceremony in Orlando West, Soweto, on 26 September 2022 to celebrate the late Struggle icon’s birthday. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
As Ramaphosa sat alongside senior members of the ANC, he listened to speeches and messages of support which were hardly about Madikizela-Mandela, but directed at him and his presidency.
Among them was one from the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) which urged him to tackle the Eskom crisis with urgency and decisiveness.
Cyril Ramaphosa (right) and Panyaza Lesufi (in green shirt) gesture at the crowd in Orlando West, Soweto. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
Cosas leaders told Ramaphosa that the ongoing electricity woes were partially to blame for the ANC’s declining electoral support.
Cosas Secretary-General Teboho Magafane said: “Comrade President, our people in Soweto still love the ANC. There is no organisation outside the ANC, but the people in Soweto are tired of being treated like stepchildren of the ANC. President, we as young people want you to be decisive.
An uMkhonto weSizwe veteran keeps watch outside the house of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in Orlando West, Soweto. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
“You must suspend [Eskom CEO André] de Ruyter. We can’t have problems with Eskom during democracy.
“Comrade President, we are saying we love and respect you, but what we are requesting from you is for the peace of our country. Just suspend De Ruyter and [Public Enterprises Minister] Pravin Gordhan,” said Magafane as the crowd ululated in agreement.
Second term
The newly elected chairperson of the Gauteng branch of the ANC, Panyaza Lesufi, affirmed the branch’s endorsement of Ramaphosa for re-election as ANC president. Ramaphosa is expected to contest the position against former health ministers Dr Zweli Mkhize and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
‘Rasta’ the artist (right), in Orlando West, Soweto, beside his painting of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
Lesufi said that while the province had taken a decision to endorse Ramaphosa, their support was not without terms and conditions.
“We want him not because we hate other leaders, but because we want him to conclude what he started.”
According to Lesufi, Ramaphosa had attracted billions of rands in investment into South Africa, ensured the efficiency of the judiciary and that peace prevailed, provided answers during the Covid-19 pandemic, and ensured the provision of the R350 Social Relief of Distress grant.
‘Endorsement not free’
“But, Mr President, our endorsement in this province is not for free. The issue of Eskom must be solved. There is something that is called e-tolls, they must go. Our endorsement is not for free but we are humbled by the way you carry yourself.”
Lesufi also commended Ramaphosa’s composure in handling questions related to the Phala Phala saga.
Eskom ‘is killing us’
Taking to the podium to finally address the crowd, Ramaphosa admitted that constant power cuts had been giving him a headache.
“Eskom is really killing us. And I am sure it is not treating you well at all at your homes, but it shall be well,” he said. But before he could even complete the sentence, the crowd shouted “kodwa nini”, loosely translated as “but when?”.
Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the crowd at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s birthday celebration in Orlando West, Soweto, on 26 September 2022. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
The President could not give a decisive answer.
“My heart gets really heavy when I see old people like you get bothered by Eskom, when the electricity is on and off, meaning you can’t cook, food in the fridges gets spoiled, I know all of that. We are busy trying to fix Eskom issues. All I can promise is that all will be well. Because it should be well. I know you want to know when.
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“If I say tomorrow, you’ll say Ramaphosa has lied again, so I can’t tell you when but I can promise you that it will be alright, because it has to be right.”
Ramaphosa attributed the unending power cuts to damage at the power utility over the years. He did not address the calls to fire Gordhan and De Ruyter.
Writing in his Monday weekly newsletter earlier, Ramaphosa admitted there were no quick fixes to the ongoing rolling blackouts which not only disrupted people’s lives, but endangered gains made in the country’s economic recovery.
Members of the ANC Women’s League sing and dance before the address by President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
“Load shedding is beyond an inconvenience. It has dire consequences for nearly every part of our society, from education to public safety to the provision of health services. Large and small businesses alike are losing money and the energy crisis is endangering investment and our economic recovery.
“There is a sense of despair that the situation does not seem to be improving and that there appears to be no end in sight to this crisis,” Ramaphosa wrote.
Women take cover from the sun as they watch the ceremony in Orlando West, Soweto. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
He reiterated that there must be an end to the crisis. “We are making progress in the implementation of the additional actions I announced in July, even though the effects may not be immediately felt.”
Unpaid staff
Cosas also took a swipe at the ANC leadership for failing to pay staff at the party’s headquarters, Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
The workers took to the streets last week to air their grievances.
The large crowd that gathered outside the house of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela while they waited to catch a glimpse of President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Shiraaz Mohamed)
“Our leaders are going to use money to be voted into power, but they can’t pay staff. President, how do you sleep at night? Comrade Panyaza Lesufi how do you sleep?” asked Magafane as the crowd cheered in agreement.
“Members of the ANC, if you are genuine enough you must defend staffers of Luthuli House more than anything,” he said. DM
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“Eskom is killing us”. Thank you this admission Mr President. Now just answer us this “Who killed Eskom?”
Precisely. Do I see Jacob Zumea and his many ANC/RET Accolytes putting up their hands to pay back the money. Nooo. they will deny all accusations until all other options, but plea bargains, are gone.
SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT ESKOM?
We cannot wait any longer for the likes of Cyril, Gwede, Pravin, etc. to do something. Nothing will happen in the forseeable future, only we and South Africa will fall further down the abyss.
We could wait for the for 2024 Elective Conference and hope for some light in the way of serious reshuffles if the ANC is likely to stay in charge. But that is too late.
We must all recognise that the ANC Cadres and Management are the wrong people to call the shots in managing an essential utility such as Eskom.
First Prize would be to privatise Eskom and then dissolve the present management, maybe, by way of a National Referendum?? Let’s face it we have a National Disaster and must act now. Then we would recommend that all Eskom staff be retrenched and given the option apply for their jobs back again – from the new-hard arsed Private Owners – keep the good management/workers and lose the bad.
Then Engage competent new Engineers and Management. It’s sounds as if it Easy to talk about but not easy to implement?? We have no option but must implement this – South Africa depends on this! I suggest that we may well have the whole of clear-thinking, South Africa behind us, Black and white, if we go about our campain in the correct manner.
We need to spread this message far and wide to see who will be on our side. It is that important.
Any ideas Dm ?
I fully agree with you. How can I help!?
I was wondering when the “spineless” ANC would blame De Ruyter for Eskoms woes! Anything to keep their racist BEE policies in place to further rape and pillage the country and taxpayer.
Let’s hope it does. !!!
“There is no organisation outside the ANC”. That’s exactly the problem. What kind of democracy do we have if idiots can’t see that there are far better choices than the ANC. We are stuck with these ANC bastards. I don’t see us getting rid of them any time soon. Just like Zimbabwe and Zanu PF. Then these same racist idiots blame De Ruyter when he is trying to fix Eskom that has been destroyed for decades under the BEE ANC watch, All this with his hands tied behind his back.
I just love how the president (and the ANC in general) speak about Eskom as if is something beyond their control and they had no hand in its demise. They are the most consummate gas-lighters on this planet.
A head of state doing a running commentary on Eskom and its shortcomings and
impact you must know that the country is in trouble. This is a man who flew after the funeral of The Queen to deal with the Eskom black outs. He has hardly said anything since his return or dodging of the UN. We see him in birthdays of the dead cutting cakes and make a running commentary on what he is supposed to fix. Any hope for a spine in Cyril to decisively deal with Eskom along his clowns seems to be misplaced. You ought to be asking yourselves about this behaviour and conduct of Ramaphosa whether it constitutes a leadership or rank incompetence and indecision or leadership failure. It even galls one regarding the platitudes from the ANC of his non – leadership on very key and strategic issues. Mantashe who represent the ANC arrogantocracy or rule by arrogance, instead of responding to the strategic issues that Mbeki raises he decides to attack him as usual with Malgoba and the less one says about him the better because he has no AIDs vaccine to date produced with his lavatory mouth. The article is very thin on information and we are learning nothing from it except the promise by Lesufi to give him people with votes he does not have at the ANC Conference.
You, the ANC, killed Eskom by a thousand cuts! This pitiful bleating is undignified in the extreme. And, Mr President, power cuts are a lot more than ‘ bothering ‘ – but how would you know?