We want a power utility we can trust

It’s granted that Eskom is not on many South Africans’ Christmas card list.

After being plunged into dreaded load shedding at the drop of a hat on several occasions throughout the year, the last straw for many South Africans battling to make ends meet was when it was revealed the power utility continued to pursue its quest to have an increase of 20% approved from 1 April, 2022.

This week, it continued the trend of fulfilling the role of the grinch when it revealed the country could be plunged into stage 8 load shedding after the environmental affairs department rejected its application to allow it to pollute more than was legally allowed.

Many experts say there’s no reason to panic as this is more scare tactics than anything else.

ALSO READ: Load shedding: Sabotage could lead to stage 6, warns de Ruyter

It seems lack of maintenance and a clear defiance of meeting environmental standards for years is the main reason.

Some experts claim that Eskom knew the plants could only run for 40 years and that Medupi, as the biggest polluter, was supposed to have scrubbers fitted a while back.

As energy expert Ted Blom succinctly said: “I think Eskom are a bunch of liars, pathological liars, because they were supposed to put them in when they got the World Bank loan in 2008-2009.”

Something doesn’t add up. All we want for Christmas is a power utility we can trust…