JOHANNESBURG – Civil society organisation Stand Up SA said that it supported the proposal to declare load shedding a national state of disaster.

The call was initially made by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and was supported by many organisations across the country.

The African National Congress (ANC) also deliberated on the matter at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The deliberation came as Eskom continued to implement high stages of loadshedding.

In December, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) gave the power utility the go-ahead to increase electricity prices by 18.65% from the beginning of April.

Stand Up SA, along with a crowd of disgruntled people from other civil society organisations, marched to Eskom’s head offices in Sunninghill on Thursday, calling for a solution to end the country’s energy crisis.

At the march, the societies stated that Eskom’s failure to provide services needed special attention.

CORRUPTION FEARS

Stand Up SA’s Bali Mabena said that she feared that if a national state of disaster on Eskom was declared, the funds would end up in the pockets of corrupt government officials.

She said that the state of disaster would, therefore, need much transparency and oversight.

“When you declare this as a national crisis, let it not be another form of corruption.”

January saw three other organisations protesting to the Union Buildings, Nersa’s offices, and the ANC’s headquarters, demanding a solution.

Source: Eye Witness News

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