Minister of Minerals and Energy Buyelwa Sonjica must tell South Africans what her department is doing to ensure that future electricity blackouts are averted, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Monday.
”She needs to step up and reveal what the plan is over the short [one year], medium and long term to ensure that our people and our economy do not have to continue about their business in constant fear of being left in the dark,” DA minerals and energy spokesperson Hendrik Schmidt said in statement.
His call comes after the release of a Department of Public Enterprises report painting a bleak picture of power supply in the country.
According to the Business Day newspaper, the report found that the balance between electricity supply and demand is extremely tight, particularly during the winter season when demands peak.
”Reports in the media … of a Department of Public Enterprises document that details the full extent of our electricity supply crisis shows that Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin and Finance Minister Trevor Manuel have been misleading South Africa by making [off] the public’s concerns over the problem as exaggerated or ”overcooked”, said Schmidt.
He added that Minister Erwin should refrain from making any comments on electricity issues as he has now ”fully discredited himself”.
Sonjica, Schmidt said, should be the one speaking with an authoritative voice on the issue of electricity supply.
”… Sonjica bears the political responsibility for ensuring the regulation and secure and sustained supply of electricity to the people of South Africa and presides over the department with all the relevant demand statistics and economic figures,” he said.
He added that he had forwarded a letter to the minister requesting her to reveal her department’s plans to the South African public. — Sapa