Numsa Heads to Gauteng High Court to File Papers Against the Government for Loadshedding

• The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has taken legal action against the government for loadshedding
• Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola explained that rolling blackouts need to come to end because they are affecting the livelihoods of citizens
• The trade union has joined many other organisations such as the UDM and Build One SA, which are holding the government accountable

JOHANNESBURG - The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has joined the cohort of organisations that have taken legal action against the government for loadshedding.

The trade union filed court papers at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to get the government to put an end to rolling blackouts.

Speaking to The Citizen, Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola stated that the country needs to be saved from loadshedding. The spokesperson argued that the African National Congress (ANC)-led government is not acting fast enough to put an end to rolling blackouts.

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Numsa says the ANC government is destroying the country

Hlubi-Majola added that loadshedding is ruining businesses, disrupting hospitals, sabotaging the economy and destroying jobs and the livelihoods of citizens.

“In January 2018 we had excess power. But as we sit today, this government has destroyed Eskom to the extent where it cannot even keep the lights on for 24 hours,” Hlubi-Majola said.

Lawyers issue a letter of demand to Eskom

Last week, a group of high-profile lawyers and non-profit organisations issued a letter of demand to outgoing Eskom CEO André de Ruyter and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.

The lawyers were backed by political leaders such as UDM leader Bantu Holomisa, Build One SA leader Mmusi Maimane and the IFP's policy analyst Lukhona Mnguni, reports News24.

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The top-notch lawyers explained that their clients want loadshedding to end with immediate effect and if that's not possible, then the government needed to give them a full explanation.

The lawyers also demanded that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) approved 18.65% tariff increase should not be implemented pending court action.

The legal team added that if Eskom and the government did not respond to their letter of demand, court papers would be filed.

DA marches to Luthuli House over loadshedding, ANC Youth League plans to defend headquarters

In other news, Briefly News reported that the Democratic Alliance (DA) has rallied its members to march down to the African National Congress headquarters on Wednesday, January 25.

The opposition party has beefed up security out of concerns about a possible clash between ANC and DA members at Luthuli House.

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ANC KZN supports Ramaphosa’s call for Eskom not to implement tariff hike, threatening to take utility to court

According to EWN, the DA is marching down to the ANC's headquarters to protest against state capture engineered by the ruling party. The DA also believes that state capture is the cause of Eskom's energy crisis and loadshedding.

Source: Briefly News