Protecting Eskom Is Saps Responsibility Not SANDF, Says Modise, Sparking Debate in SA: “ I Disagree”

• Defence Minister Thandi Modise told Parliament that the South African National Defence Force should not be protecting Eskom's infrastructure
• The minister said the responsibility would ideally lie with the South African Police Services
• Modise's comments have sparked debate among South Africans, with some people disagreeing with the defence minister

CAPE TOWN - The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thandi Modise, said that police officers should be protecting Eskom and arresting the criminals who sabotage the power station's infrastructure instead of soldiers.

The defence minister said that South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers are not trained to protect Eskom and apprehend criminals while answering questions in Parliament on Thursday, 22 December, EWN reported.

Modise's comments have sparked debate among South Africans, with some citizens disagreeing with the defence minister.

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Here is what South Africans think about who is responsible for protecting Eskom:

@LuzukoSati stated:

"I disagree."

@cvrooyen7 claimed:

"I would agree if we actually had a police force, but unfortunately we don’t have any kind of force. That’s why they use the “strongest” one we’ve got."

@RicoSmi82794035 suggested:

"Undercover and private agents are needed surveillance cameras in all strategic places with 24-hour staffing."

@Ceciliavlokgold added:

"Power stations are national key points. The military must protect."

@magebaNDW agreed:

"She is right though."

@MelvinS33816944 commented:

"SANDF is definitely the best option. They can shoot these would-be saboteurs."

@cdmnuy said:

"Police can’t even guard their own police stations!"

@BThaboDitsele demanded:

"To a customer of @Eskom_SA, does it really matter as to who guards power stations? That is an operational matter which the Security cluster must sort out and settle. An Eskom customer wants load-shedding gone, period!"

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Experts say the deployment of SANDF is pointless

The Presidency announced that military troops would be deployed and stationed at Camden, Tutuka, Majuba and Grootvlei power stations until the threat of sabotage was under control.

However, security and defence analyst Helmoed-Römer Heitman criticised the move claiming that it was futile and would take Eskom back instead of moving it forward, The Citizen reported.

SANDF deployed at Eskom power stations, SA reacts: “So Eskom needs soldiers more than engineers?”

In another story, Briefly News reported that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would be deployed at several Eskom power stations.

The Presidency spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, told eNCA the request had already been made to the defence ministry.

This follows Eskom’s eventful week after news leaked on Wednesday that André de Ruyter resigned as CEO. The country has also been under a rotation of Stage 5 and 6 loadshedding for the past few weeks.

Source: Briefly News