Taxpayers in Eskom purgatory

WILL the new dawn bear fruit at Eskom? For there’s no consequence management system to deal with graft, bribe and cronyism bedevilling state entities. It’s a norm for the government to bail out a loss-making parastatal riddled with the unbridled corruption and wasteful expenditure.

Eskom workers vowed to settle for 7.5% salary increase plus bonus despite the power utility being in the red. In the midst of this, Eskom management found a scapegoat, “it is important that the price of electricity migrates towards cost reflectivity”.

This means Eskom wants more money in the form of electricity tariff increase to settle R19.6 billion of irregular expenditure which the previous executives plundered.

On top of this, taxpayers are expected to pay more for services due to the VAT increase and find a way to absorb the escalating costs of fuel and food relative to their constant take-home pay.

On one hand, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs failed to achieve its performance targets because municipalities obtained adverse audit reports – undermining the delivery of services to our people.

On the other hand, billions of rand were lost by municipalities who participated in unauthorised investment transactions with a disreputable bank.

With the passage of time the presumptuous mischief of intransigent politicians, mediocrity and falsehoods will be exposed for public notice. Everyone is tired of politicians who consort with hypocrites and sit with the wicked to impoverish the country. Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni