Johannesburg - Under pressure Public Enterprise Minister Pravin Gordhan faces more woes as his department acknowledges receipt of a letter of demand that was sent to the department, Eskom and Nersa.
The letter, from Mabuza Attorneys, highlighted the negative impact that load shedding had on the country's businesses and expressed concerns about Nersa's 18.65% tariff increase.
Gordhan has until January 20 to provide these undertakings, and if this is not forthcoming, then papers will be lodged on January 23 for urgent relief.
"The Department is still considering the letter, and seeking legal advice on the matter and will respond in due course. We want to assure the public that everything possible is being done to end or minimise load shedding," said the department in response to the letter.
The department said that those who are a part of corruption, intimidation, and abuse of procurement practices or obstruct the government’s efforts to clean up each power station of such corruption would face the full might of the law.
"All South Africans must unite to eliminate this corruption. At the same time, Eskom is in the process of finalising its plans to take further urgent steps to stabilise the power station’s performance and reliability," added the department’s statement.
Meanwhile, the NUM Highveld Region called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to consider engaging with the union and to stop listening to or considering reports from Minister Pravin Gordhan.
"Minister Gordhan has reached the ceiling in terms of thinking. He is confused and knows nothing. He misled the President on a number of occasions and brought the so-called retired engineers into the system. Eskom does not need old engineers; it requires young and energetic engineers.
"When a person is old, he or she tends to forget easily, and practically, they even tend to confuse the names of their own grandchildren. How can such an old and retired engineer remember the plant components?" the union said.
The Star