Possible load shedding this winter, says Eskom
The utility says this is if Treasury doesn’t give the go-ahead to buy more coal.
POLOKWANE – Treasury is reluctant to sign off on four big coal deals until it ensures there has been proper due diligence.
Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane gave the warning on Tuesday, 30 May, during a standing committee on public accounts meeting in Parliament.
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Ngubane told Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts that there is a risk of load shedding because the utility is not getting authorisation to buy more coal as they stockpile for winter.
South Africa struggled with load shedding several years ago with load shedding being almost a daily occurrence, causing rolling effect in both businesses and industries alike.
Read more:
Load shedding: the effect on business
Load shedding blamed for losses
According to reports by ENCa, Ngubane and Eskom CEO Brian Molefe were grilled by MPs about the awarding of a R4-billion coal contract to the Gupta-owned Tegeta Exploration and Resources without regulations being followed.
In the interim, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown confirmed she had approached the Special Investigating Unit formally to probe all Eskom deals since 2007 to which Ngubane responded saying they will love if an investigation occurred.
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“Let them come in, as far as I am concerned, there is nothing criminal we have done.”
