The civil rights organisation AfriForum demanded today that the corrupt people at Eskom be prosecuted without delay, and that the help of former engineers be obtained immediately.
Dr Eugene Brink, Strategic Advisor for Community Affairs at AfriForum, says that there is no time left for small talk and that the time for promises has run out.
“Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Public Enterprises, today said in Parliament that the culprits might expect to find themselves in orange overalls soon. That is not good enough, and we have been hearing that for a long time now. We want to know immediately who the culprits are, and they should be punished without fail. The problem is that no-one is made an example of, and the crisis therefore worsens.
“Gordhan, Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC should all acknowledge their culpability in this crisis. They also helped to govern the country in the last ten years in which Eskom was eroded. They are just as guilty and completely out of touch with the suffering of the communities, the business sector and ordinary citizens. They should stop acting as if the country’s energy problems have come as a shock,” Brink says
Gordhan moreover promised to bring former engineers back from abroad to help address the crisis. “It is no longer just an option; it should happen without delay. They were let go by Eskom simply because of the colour of their skins, and other countries now benefit from their expertise. Obsession with race comes at a high price, and the whole of South Africa is now busy paying it. Eskom’s failure should serve as a case study for the whole country,” Brink concludes.