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Intervention by Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Minister of Electricity and Energy, in the Eskom-City Power dispute this week provides more proof of Panyaza Lesufi’s failure, as Premier of Gauteng, AfriForum believes. Ramokgopa’s successful entry into the dispute in which Eskom threatened to cut power supply to Johannesburg due to the city-controlled power supplier’s arrears account furthermore highlights Lesufi’s inability to fulfil his constitutional obligations by, among other things, ensuring the implementation of Chapter 3 of the Constitution.   

Ramokgopa’s involvement in the dispute resolution process follows after Eskom issued a notice to the Johannesburg Metro and City Power on 7 November indicating its intention to cut power supply to the Metro. According to Eskom, the city’s debt currently stands at R4,9 billion, with R1,4 billion of this due by the end of November. Thanks to the Minister’s intervention, it was firstly ensured that the power supply would not be cut off, and secondly that independent technicians, in collaboration with City Power and Eskom, would make a determination of the true extent of the city’s electricity debt.

Morné Mostert, Manager of Local Government Affairs at AfriForum, emphasises that Ramokgopa’s involvement and mediation expose the maladministration under Lesufi in the provincial government. “Lesufi’s inability to manage Gauteng’s municipalities, especially Johannesburg, is an obvious failure. The Constitution and other relevant legislation require provincial leadership to ensure stable and efficient governance. Where this is not the case, the Premier must intervene. The fact that a national Minister had to intervene is a blot on Lesufi’s record and shows a serious lack of accountability.”

Meanwhile, AfriForum has instructed its legal team today to enter into the litigation process and obtain all pertinent information related to the collection of the Johannesburg Metro’s overdue debt from Eskom. This information is of critical importance in determining what Eskom’s debt collection strategy is and what the Metro’s financial position is.

“AfriForum welcomes the temporary relief, but we can no longer ignore the broader issue of accountability,” concludes Mostert.

Issued by AfriForum