Civil rights organisation AfriForum has decided to take legal action against ailing power utility Eskom for not making public the contract information for its service providers.

AfriForum wants information on active contracts that Eskom has with various service providers, including coal suppliers and transport companies.

While Eskom did initially respond to the application, AfriForum says it redacted key information.

AfriForum campaign officer for strategy and content Reiner Duvenage accused Eskom of breaching the Promotion of Access to Information Act by withholding “crucial” information following an internal appeal on September 28, 2022.

The country is in the midst of an energy crisis which has seen President Cyril Ramaphosa cancel his Davos trip to the World Economic Forum.

AfriForum says Eskom’s failure is causing incalculable damage to the country.

Duvenage stressed that if AfriForum succeeds with the application for a court order to force Eskom to reveal the information, and if any irregularities are found, action will be taken against the power utility.