The DA notes with concern the decision by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to grant Eskom’s request to recover more than R32 billion by increasing electricity tariffs, essentially making electricity more expensive for South Africans.

This is on top of the confirmation that load shedding has been confirmed for today.

These future tariff increases combined with the recent VAT increase and unprecedented petrol hikes highlight how the ANC continues to make South Africans pay for their failures.

The cost of living for all South Africans is increasing, and it will be felt the most by the poor and marginalised.

The ongoing strike at Eskom will also no doubt have serious consequences for consumers and rolling blackouts could become the norm again. Unions are demanding an unrealistic 15% wage hike and have threatened to continue with the strike until their demands are met. With the annual inflation rate in April 2018 at 4.5%, these demands are unreasonable.

Based on our calculations, the average Eskom employee excluding executives earns R662 282 per year and a 15% increase would deepen Eskom’s financial woes and hasten the financial precipice moment where Eskom is no longer solvent.

The DA notes that Eskom has obtained a Court interdict prohibiting the intimidation of workers who are not participating in the strike action, as well as the high jacking of coal trucks. We trust that this will send a strong message to those who have made themselves guilty of intimidation and prevent any further load shedding.

The Ramaphosa administration continues to punish ordinary South Africans for years of corruption. It is clear that the “New Dawn” has not come to Eskom as the power utility lurches from one crisis to the next.

Poor South Africans already have to pay for the ANC’s corruption at Eskom, they cannot be expected to cough up more to pay for these salary and tariff increases at Eskom.

The people of South Africa, especially the poor, can no longer depend on the ANC to better their lives; the ANC continues to bring misery. It is time for a change in government, where the people come first. Only a DA-led government has the capacity to bring positive change to the lives of South Africans.

 

Issued by DA