Experts around the clock needed to stop cliff fall

The contribution of small businesses is crucial, and most of them can’t afford generators

Load-shedding is upon us and there are few signs it will end anytime, let alone soon, despite all the promises made by the politicians. Recurring blackouts are crippling businesses. SA has a number of multinational corporations with headquarters in first-world countries. As losses due to load-shedding mount, some of these companies might close shop and leave our shores.

Premier Oscar Mabuyane made a call to both Buffalo City Metro and the East London Industrial Development Zone to come up with plans to keep the lights on to avert closure of businesses and capital flight. He is right, and that call must be supported. Mercedez-benz SA and the IDZ are the biggest employers in our region.

But the contribution to the economy of small businesses is crucial, and most of them can’t afford generators. No one is spared by the blackouts, be it family, business or family businesses.

Finance minister Enoch Godongwana told parliament this week that he is deeply concerned about the rolling blackouts. Former president Thabo Mbeki placed the blame for this energy crisis squarely on the government.

It is 15 years since the nation first experienced load-shedding back in 2007.

In the 22 years between 1985 and 2007, Eskom had only three CEOS. But after Thulani Gcabashe left office in 2007, things changed rapidly, according to My Broadband: over the next 13 years, Eskom saw 13 CEOS, interim CEOS, and acting CEOS come and go.

“This instability took its toll on the company; regular load-shedding, corruption, and mounting debt defined Eskom between 2008 and 2020,” the article continues.

Both Mbeki and Godongwana have been part of the ANC leadership all along. What have they, or any of their colleagues, done to avert this crisis?

SA is still rated as one of the best countries in Africa economically. Many countries still look up to us.

But with this latest dumpload of embarrassments it is sooner, rather than later, that we are likely to become a laughing stock.

SA has all the resources to produce enough energy for domestic consumption and even export. There are wind and solar farms sprouting across the country.

The time for talking about them feeding into the national grid is over. Implementation time is right now.

The solution lies with experts – but not politically connected experts with selfish intentions.

We need engineering firms working around the clock to save SA from self-destruction.

Our unemployment is very high. We can’t afford to have this energy crisis pushing us off a cliff.