Questions over Eskom burning millions for Zulu king’s memorial
Cultural experts questioned the preferential treatment the Zulu monarchy received, while energy experts are baffled by the exercise.
Amabutho (Zulu regiments) form a guard of honour as they escort a hearse carrying the body of King Goodwill Zwelithini from a mortuary in Nongoma, KwaZulu Natal on March 17, 2021. – King Goodwill Zwelithini died on March 12, 2021 in the eastern city of Durban, aged 72, after weeks of treatment for a diabetes-related illness. His remains have been taken back to his birthplace, the small southeastern town of Nongoma in Kwa-Zulu Natal province, where he will be laid to rest after midnight. The intimate ceremony, to be conducted behind closed doors at the KwaKhethomthandayo royal residence, is referred to as a “planting” rather than a burial. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP)
Eskom’s decision to suspend load shedding for the sake of the Zulu monarchy has not only got South Africans talking, but it also has experts and activists irate.
Eskom announced late on Wednesday that it would suspend load shedding between 10am and 2pm in order to accommodate for King Goodwill Zwelithini’s memorial service on Thursday.
The power utility has previously revealed that it costs R10 million per hour to burn diesel in order to generate electricity when the grid is under pressure. This means the taxpayer forked out a staggering R40 million in diesel during the load shedding suspension to mourn the Zulu monarch.
Zulu royals more important than others?
“I still do not understand why royalty of one tribe [AmaZulu] is favoured and glorified more than the royalty in SA. Several kings of other nations in SA have died previously, during lockdown but there was no suspension,” Khuluma Ndabezitha, African cultural expert and poet, said.
WATCH: AmaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s official memorial service
He said king of the Pedi, King Victor Thulare III, died of Covid-19 in January but his send-off or mourning was nothing like the one afforded the Zulu monarchy, and there was no suspension of load shedding.
“We are told it is a historic event [King Zwelithini’s passing]. We all have history, there is no tribe or nation lesser than the other. That is the language they are sending out, that some tribes are more special that the others. Even his perks and salary was way beyond those of other Kings,” Ndabezitha said.
No frivolous matter
Energy expert Ted Blom said power interruption was no frivolous matter and that stage 2 load shedding cost the economy R5 billion a day, which he said could be rounded off to about R2.5 billion for four hours.
“That figure is pretty established. Why they did not have load shedding during a memorial service just proves the level of political interference at Eskom. [André] De Ruyter and his friends are all puppets of politicians,” he charged.
He said Eskom had a plan for load shedding in summer and winter, at a cost of R350 billion.
“Eskom says if they are correct, there will be one day load shedding for this period. If they are wrong, 36 days summer and 26 days in winter. That is more than 20% of the time but if you take that as a worst-case scenario, it is going to cause us R350 billion in the lost GDP [gross domestic product],” Blom said.
Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha admitted to Radio 702 on Wednesday that the load shedding suspension would cost the power utility and the people of SA money to burn diesel.
He has, in previous interviews, revealed that Eskom spends R10 million per hour to use open cycle gas turbines, which operates on diesel, at full capacity.
In response to The Citizen’s inquiry, Mantshantsha said that to supplement supply during this period, Eskom was forced to run nine OCGTs (gas turbine) at an approximate cost of R500,000 per OCGT per hour to generate 150MW each.
He justified the decision to do this, saying: “This could only be possible given the time of the day when demand is relatively low, and indeed for a short duration. This cannot be executed everyday, and Eskom made an exception to help the country in general and the Zulu nation in particular to pay its respects to the departed monarch at this difficult and historical moment in the life of the Zulu nation.”
The DA has demanded answers from Eskom, charging that the king’s memorial should not be used as an excuse to treat citizens unequally.
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