Eskom has yet again entered stage 4 load shedding where 4,000MW is removed from the grid. The latest reasons include diesel shortages, Mozambique supply issues with cyclone damage and boiler tube leaks at a number of plants.

How eight power units providing 5,000MW could be affected by the same leaks at the same time is highly suspicious and could be a result of other nefarious activities. This needs investigation by the Hawks if proven to be true.

Yet again, we have to ask the question of why PetroSA and Eskom are not talking to each other and able to set up a stable and consistent supply of diesel when it is needed. This issue had been raised time and time again, yet the same breakdown continues to occur.

While a technical team has been given four weeks to evaluate and provide a report on Eskom, load shedding continues to cripple the country. Having Deputy President David Mabuza head up the joint special cabinet committee on Eskom hardly sends the right signal either. He oversaw the province of Mpumalanga where he was allegedly involved in tender fraud and multiple political killings.

With Eskom burning diesel and using pump storage facilities to keep the lights going, the amount of problems, maintenance backlogs, coal quality and shortages at the coal power units has become drastically apparent.

The DA has solutions to fix the current load shedding and Eskom crisis. Urgent resources must be allocated to maintenance and refurbishment of the current coal fleet

The DA would privatise the generation part of Eskom which will allow for power units to be properly maintained and stockpiled, allowing well-functioning metros to source power directly from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and freezing the build on the outstanding units at Kusile. Eskom needs to immediately freeze the build on the last two outstanding units at Kusile, and instead look to bring on more IPPs to provide power. Eskom’s debt is spiralling due to cost overruns on the two big coal builds, while the units are not running at full capacity due to design and build flaws.

We would ensure Eskom’s coal procurement policy is immediately changed to allow Eskom to procure coal from any source that meets the quality and standards required. We would mandate Eskom’s engineering and maintenance employees as an “essential service” that cannot enter into strike action. We would immediately review all Eskom’s diesel contracts to ensure the cheapest diesel is sourced from professional and reliable sources and in line with this, instruct PetroSA to supply Eskom with diesel at tax-free cost prices to avert a crisis in the short-term.

We reject pressure from the ANC’s union allies opposing the introduction of IPPs. IPPs are producing energy as we speak and must be allowed to sell power to the grid immediately. The DA is way ahead of the rest of the country in terms of renewable energy readiness. 85% of municipalities in the Western Cape already have legislation in place to allow for independent solar energy generation, and most of them are geared to sell clean energy back into the grid.

In the medium term, we would privatise the entire generation part of Eskom, allowing a diverse range of energy to enter the grid, increasing competition and lowering the cost. This would lead to a drastic salary restructuring of Eskom’s executive and management, bringing costs down.

On the debt side, we would instruct municipalities to start a “name and shame” campaign for non-payers of electricity. In short, to release the names of the main offenders that are non-paying to the municipality website and local papers making sure communities know who is skipping on payment. This would be similar to the City of Cape Town’s water saving “name and shame” campaign. We would install major smart meters for municipalities to force municipalities to collect revenue timeously.

The ANC has literally put SA in the dark ages again by allowing and facilitating state capture that has torn Eskom apart. It is time for this country to be given new hope, with a party that will fight for stable, green and affordable electricity supply. DM