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The SA Property Owners Association (Sapoa) has slammed the government for its lack of follow through and execution regarding the minister of electricity’s role at Eskom and the energy crisis.
Since appointing Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as minister of electricity three months ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to clarify Ramokgopa’s functions and powers with regards to Eskom and its plan to end load-shedding.
Sapoa president Malose Kekana, who is also group CEO of unlisted property fund Pareto, told
Business Day that it’s a pity that the centre doesn’t seem to hold within the ANC.
He alluded to various media reports suggest tensions between public enterprises minister Pravin
Gordhan and mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe who have powers over Eskom. He believes there is no smoke without fire: “If there are no tensions, how is it possible that Ramokgopa still doesn’t have powers?
“It is unacceptable that we have a crisis, someone has been appointed, and yet there is no
expediting a decision on what their role is,” Kekana said. “Give him interim powers to be able to do something within his ministerial position while finalising details on what his role entails.”
Kekana believes that though it would seem Ramaphosa applied his mind before making the appointment,
he was also frustrated and needed to act to avoid the country going into a panic mode.
“This appointment, like all other government decisions requires some level of conviction to follow
through, execute and make firm decisions on what needs to be done to solve a crisis;’ he said.
Read the full article written by Denise Mhlanga of Business Day here.