Malema says ‘corrupt’ Ramokgopa won’t solve load shedding, calls for Koko, Molefe to ‘rescue’ SA

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called for Electricity Minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa to be fired.

Malema addressed the media on Monday, following the EFF’s central command team (CCT) meeting, which took place over the weekend.

The CCT discussed, among other matters, the ongoing electricity blackouts plaguing South Africa.

‘No interest in resolving the crisis’

During the briefing, Malema said it was clear that the ANC-led government was failing to address load shedding, warning that this may lead to a full blown blackout.

“We are fully aware that the government has no interest in resolving the crisis and as a result, we may experience a complete grid collapse, where South Africa will be plunged into darkness for days, weeks, and possibly months,” the EFF leader said on Monday.

He lamented the closure of some of Eskom’s coal power stations, labelling the decision as “premature”.

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“The loans to abandon coal were opportunistic, and driven by interference by imperialist forces who want to micromanage South Africa’s energy policy, driven by greed and profit,” Malema said.

The EFF leader questioned why powerships were not used to alleviate load shedding despite President Cyril Ramaphosa backing the proposal.

“The most immediate solution to the crisis of electricity in South Africa is to plug in the floating power stations into the grid.

“We know for a fact that the reason Karpowership is not plugged into the grid, despite being approved and despite the environmental concerns being dismissed, is due to the fact that politicians from the ruling party are negotiating for bribes that must be paid to them.”

‘Ramokgopa is corrupt’

Malema also said he was of the view that Ramokgopa, who served as Tshwane mayor from 2010 to 2016, won’t improve the performance of Eskom’s power plants.

“Sputla is corrupt. He collapsed that ANC leadership in Tshwane. [For] Tshwane to be where it is today is [because of] Sputla. South Africans, you are so gullible that a person collapses a municipality [and] you say he can restore such as complex matter as electricity.”

READ MORE: Load shedding: SA unlikely to experience complete blackout, says Ramokgopa

Under Ramokgopa’s tenure as mayor, the City of Tshwane entered into a contract with PEU Capital for the installation of “smart” electricity meters in 2013, which was later deemed irregular and unlawful and was set aside by the Pretoria High Court.

According to current Tshwane mayor, Cilliers Brink, the city was still grappling with the consequences of the illegal PEU contract.

‘We are heading for a disaster’

Malema, meanwhile, suggested that Eskom must be moved to the Department of Energy.

“Let Eskom be under one political leadership, and political authority so that they know they have no option, but to take this political direction.

“We don’t support the minister of electricity… he must go. He is being paid a lot of money that we do not have. Government needs every little cent that we are wasting on Sputla, who is not going to help us with anything,” Malema said.

“In the next two weeks, we have been warned there is going to be darkness. We are almost at a point of grid collapse. It’s a reality that South Africans must know that we are heading to darkness and ANC politicians are continuing as usual as if we are not in a crisis. We are heading for a disaster worse than the Covid-19 pandemic. They are just calling it stage 10 for nice words.”

Malema wants Molefe and Koko back

The EFF leader called for the return of former Eskom executives, Brian Molefe and Matshela Koko, who he believed were being “unfairly and irrationally persecuted in the name of so-called state capture”.

“Brian must come back. Matshela Koko must come back so too all those Indian, coloured and white engineers [because] we are in a crisis. If they love South Africa, they must not ask for payment… they must come and rescue South Africa,” he continued.

“I’m not saying Brian or anyone’s charges must be dropped. They have not been found guilty. I’m not saying go fetch them from jail… they are at home.”

Molefe was arrested last year in connection to state capture and is currently out on R50 000 bail.

Koko was also granted R300 000 bail last October, following his arrest in connection to a multibillion-rand contract Eskom entered into with a Swiss engineering company.

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