EFF Has Zero Faith in New Eskom Board’s Ability to Bring an End to Loadshedding

• The Economic Freedom Fighters don't believe that the newly appointed Eskom board will end loadshedding
• The comments come after Pravin Gordhan revamped the board of the ailing power utility
• The Red Berets claim that the solution to the energy crisis is the axing of CEO Andre de Ruyter and CFO Jan Oberholzer

JOHANNESBURG - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are not convinced that the nes Eskom board will solve any of the power utility challenges.

The Red Berets claim that the power utility has four primary issues due to the absence of a coherent energy policy, thoughtless enforcement of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), an inept and ignorant CEO and COO and conflicts of interest.

According to TimesLIVE, public enterprise minister Pravin Gordhan appointed Mpho Makwana as the new chairperson of the reformed board on Friday, 30 September.

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The EFF specifically took exception to the appointment of Makwana. The party said in a statement that Gordhan's selection of Makwana as the new chair of the ailing power utility spells out the end of Eskom.

The political party maintained that Makwana's position as an independent non-executive director of BTE renewables means he is not interested in providing reliable and affordable electricity.

The EFF echoed its call for the axing of CEO Andre de Ruyter and COO Jan Oberholzer as an immediate solution to the energy crisis.

The Red Berets recommended that the government seek the council of black executives who have previously managed loadshedding.

South Africans weigh in on the EFF's comments

South Africans reacted to the EFF's statements on social media.

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Below are some comments:

@LWR08 asked:

"What's your plan?"

@Singlelove1234 pointed out:

"EFF be writing statements in the queens english every hour…yet be hating on white people! "

@ZKD79490700 commented:

"EFF always criticizing and you have no practical suggestions (in most cases NON). The current CEO and COO have exposed so much corruption within the organization.They have moved in on criminal syndicates and shut them down. You want them removed? You clearly stand for corruption."

@robkowa added:

"And this is a national political party with ambitions to govern? Sounds like a student manifesto. No details, no concrete proposals, just propaganda & name-calling “We don’t like what’s being done, want to get back to way things were before, which got us into this situation.” "

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has no intention of firing Gwede Mantashe, Pravin Gordhan and Andre De Ruyter

In a related story, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed his stance on ministers Gwede Mantashe and Pravin Gordhan, and Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter, saying that no one is to blame for the rolling blackouts.

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He addressed loadshedding during a National Assembly question and answer session on Thursday, 29 September.

Ramaphosa’s remarks about the country’s power cuts came after Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader John Steenhuisen reminded him about his promise to end loadshedding in 2015. The president said at the time he had put his hopes on the Medupi and Kusile power stations.

Source: Briefly News