Mabuza to face questions on Eskom, corruption and vaccine rollout

Deputy President David Mabuza on Tuesday is expected to face tough questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Eskom, corruption and the government’s Covid-19 vaccination rollout.

Mabuza will provide oral replies to questions from the NCOP’s permanent delegates from 2pm. The session will be a virtual plenary sitting due to the pandemic.

Covid-19 pandemic

Western Cape ANC delegate Maurencia Gillion will ask Mabuza to provide a detailed explanation about how the government has responded to Covid-19 in order to save the lives and/or livelihoods of South Africans.

She will also ask the deputy president what action the government is taking to resolve the challenges of the procurement of vaccines to fast-track the vaccination of citizens.

Mabuza is the chairperson of the interministerial committee on vaccines.

Eskom electricity distribution

Free State DA delegate George Michalakis will ask Mabuza about the announcement he made on 21 May 2021 about the Eskom takeover of electricity distribution in the Maluti-a-Phofung municipality.

Michalakis wants to know when Eskom is expected to start working on the ground at the municipality.

Following an oversight visit to the Free State in May, Mabuza announced that Eskom would take over the electricity distribution of the municipality.

Maluti-a-Phofung municipality owes Eskom more than R5 billion.

Kusile power station

Mpumalanga DA delegate Hildegard Boshoff will ask Mabuza what action the government has taken to ensure the Kusile power station project goes according to schedule.

She also wants answers whether there are sufficient plans for the success of the project being completed on time.

Corruption

North West Freedom Front Plus delegate Stephanus du Toit wants to know what measures are in place to ensure no corruption in the implementation of the strategies for empowerment models by the government.

Service delivery challenges

North West ANC delegate Thamsanqa China Dodovu asks whether the task team established by the government to monitor the progress of service delivery challenges in municipalities has been effective.

Infrastructure for farming communities

Northern Cape ANC delegate Mosimanegare Mmoiemang asks what role can be played by the Department of Rural Development in broadening the provision of critical infrastructure needed by farming communities.

He will also ask the deputy president whether the government has developed any strategies to revitalise and bolster rural economies to create jobs.