MP Lucas’ load shedding remark ‘insensitive’

The SA Local Government Association (Salga) in KwaZulu-Natal has condemned ANC MP Sylvia Lucas, who claimed load shedding was “not the end of the world“.

Lucas made her statement on Tuesday during parliament’s debate on last week’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Her utterances have been met with criticism from the public.

KwaZulu-Natal Salga chair Thami Ntuli told the media yesterday it was “depressing” to hear the National Council of Provinces deputy chair’s remarks.

“That statement was insensitive,” he said.

“For municipalities [load shedding] has resulted in loss of revenue and service delivery pickets that have affected the economy.

“Some businesses are unable to pay their dues to municipalities because of load shedding, which has left them financially limping. Some businesses have even closed shop because of load shedding.”

Ntuli said the rolling blackouts were affecting water pumps and reservoirs, also having a direct impact on residents.

“In some painful cases, patients are turned back by health centres because there’s no power or water.

“As I am addressing you, there are several places throughout the country that are in darkness. There are services that have been halted because of load shedding.

“Now to have a leader like Lucas saying [that] is very painful, and it is really rubbing salt to the wounds of the many who have lost jobs and incomes because of load shedding.”

Ntuli expressed concern over Eskom’s spending on diesel.

Ntuli said this has increased from less than R1 billion in 2011 to over R30 billion a year now. “Load shedding is impacting municipal operations in profound ways.

“It has forced municipalities to take extreme measures to keep waste water plants and water purifications plants running to prevent water contamination. This came at a considerable cost,” he said.

Last month, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa emphasised the need for Eskom to strike a balance between mitigating the severity of load shedding and adhering to the constraints of the diesel budget.

Diesel is the primary source for Eskom’s open-cycle gas turbines, which generate electricity.

“The financial year still has two or three months, so it’s important that in terms for their [Eskom] own projections, they don’t get to exhaust that because someone gets to pay for it and that will be the end consumer,” said Ramokgopa.