For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines: DA calls out Eskom’s ‘penchant for secrecy’ after court orders entity to hand over details of contracts; ActionSA opposes Eskom’s appeal on loadshedding judgment; And, CoJ officially launches water security strategy

DA calls out Eskom’s ‘penchant for secrecy’ after court orders entity to hand over details of contracts

The Democratic Alliance said it hopes the courts will “see through Eskom’s cover-up” following an order from the Gauteng High Court that Eskom disclose requested information regarding its existing coal and diesel contracts to AfriForum.

The lobby group suspects that the information contained in these contracts may reveal possible irregularities and corruption at the power utility.

After Eskom refused to disclose the information to the civil rights organisation as part of an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act in July 2022,  AfriForum approached the courts.

Eskom, which is appealing the judgment, was given until April 5 to hand over the information.

DA Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Kevin Mileham said that Eskom’s decision to appeal the decision to release its diesel and coal contracts was “frivolous litigation and a waste of money that it does not have”.

The party said it opposed Eskom’s “transparent attempt to hide the rotting underbelly” of its procurement processes and the associated contracts.

ActionSA opposes Eskom’s appeal on loadshedding judgment

ActionSA’s lawyers said today it “rigorously” opposed government and Eskom’s appeal of the judgment handed down by the North Gauteng High Court in December, in which it ordered Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to take all reasonable steps to prevent rolling blackouts at State-run institutions, including schools, police stations and hospitals, by the end of January.

ActionSA brought the request that vital institutions be exempt from loadshedding.

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba vowed to continue to place pressure on the national government to protect citizens from the consequences of loadshedding, and from government’s supposed “continued failure” to provide other essential services.

He pointed out that loadshedding was one of the country’s biggest inhibitors to job creation with thousands of small businesses forced to close as a result, also noting an increase in crime when loadshedding occured.

Mashaba noted that Eskom, the President and the Minister of Electricity wanted to appeal sections of the ruling, alleging that the judgment was too “vague”.

ActionSA has set out plans to end loadshedding within two years if it comes into government by, among others, liberalising the electricity market and ending nepotism at Eskom.

And, CoJ officially launches water security strategy

The City of Johannesburg has officially launched its Water Security Strategy to connect to existing strategies and policies to offer an aligned approach to water security and provide a guideline towards becoming a water secure Johannesburg by 2040.

The strategy was designed to understand and review the current situation and state of the urban water system under the CoJ’s mandate; to reflect and identify the key challenges that face the municipality currently and in the future, and to codevelop and codesign key strategic responses and associated actions to mitigate the challenges.

With seven strategic responses and 67 action plans developed for both short and long-term implementation, the strategy aims to ensure sustainable water management and future water security.

The comprehensive strategy addresses seven key challenges, including diversifying water sources, promoting conservation and demand management and cultivating a water-conscious society.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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