ESKOM POWER SUPPLY WOES THREATENING SA’S DEVELOPMENT - ANC STUDY GROUP ON SCOPA

The study group has slammed Eskom's board member Busisiwe Mavuso's criticism of the ANC during a meeting with Scopa on Friday.

Image: © Aekkarak Thongjiew/123rf.com

Veronica Mokhoali | 

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) study group on Parliament's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on Saturday said the lack of progress by Eskom to carry out its only service continues to threaten the country's development.

The study group has slammed Eskom's board member Busisiwe Mavuso's criticism of the ANC during a meeting with Scopa on Friday.

Mavuso was asked to leave the meeting by chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa after she called for the government to take responsibility for the crisis at the embattled power utility.

Describing Mavuso's conduct as belligerent and unruly, the study group's whip Bheki Hadebe said the board should turn the entity around.

“At no stage did Scopa members apportion blame to the current board members on the historic challenges of Eskom. It is for this reason that we take strong exception and we condemn with the contempt it deserves, the conduct that was displayed.”

In a strongly worded statement, the Public Enterprises Department called her comments regrettable and her conduct unbecoming.

The country was forced to endure Stage 4 of rolling blackouts this week as Eskom battled to keep up with tripping generation units at its power stations.

POWER RESTORED

Meanwhile, Johannesburg’s City Power said electricity had been fully restored in Eldorado Park and surrounding areas after residents spent nine days in the dark.

Technicians have been scrambling to fix transformers that were gutted in a fire at the Eldorado Park substation on Good Friday causing widespread power and water outages.

The damage also affected other substations in Devland, Kliptown, Klipspruit and Freedom Park.

This led to a service delivery protest on Thursday with disgruntled residents in Devland closing roads with burning tyres demanding power to be restored.