OPINION: Back to the Dark Ages for a generation of ‘Eskomites’?

Quo vadis. I believe a good debate, argument or presentation to enquiring and like-minded individuals should start with a question. Quo vadis. Where to now?

From where I stand, on my side of the now rusting railway tracks, I cannot see too far into the future, as the future is in darkness – loadshedding is being implemented.

Quo vadis. Well, get me a torch, candle, maybe a match – although the matches made today are of inferior quality, takes about six to light the braai fire starters.

Johnny Nash sang ‘There are more questions than answers’ but hopefully somebody actually gave him the answers he sought.

Here, there is nobody bold enough to give us the answers we crave.

The question needed to be posed to Eskom is why?

Why was nothing done back then when the lights started to flicker? Why?

And stop blaming the ageing infrastructure. You should have planned to replace or upgrade it. Pull yourselves towards yourselves.

Quo vadis, indeed. I do not have the answer and neither has Eskom.

This is not a case of back to the future, but back to paraffin lamps and wood stoves. Welcome to the Dark Ages on the continent known as Africa.

On another note, I have said that a good question should be pushed forward in order to generate useful and informative discussion.

Also, a good discussion can be informative and uplifting for the spirit.

So, why not change an aspect of life that will let our lives seem more manageable?

Let Eskom do away with its doleful and depressingly irritating announcement of loadshedding, ie: duration of enforced electricity starvation, and rather only announce when we can actually find electricity coming into homes and businesses.

That is how you put a positive spin onto a negative situation!

So, let there be light and alternating current for our fellow South Africans, just tell us when we can expect it.

On yet another note, I have a proposed new addition to our South African vocabulary.

We have heard of the baby-boomers and the millennials as labels appended to children conceived and born of that particular era in our historical timeline.

Since we are obviously living in a (power) failure in our country’s fabric, how about grouping babies conceived during the continual Eskom induced and orchestrated load-shedding events, as Eskomites?

Perhaps not an event, maybe a catastrophic indication of how ineptitude by one can negatively impact on another.

Although, maybe some mating couples actually needed these blackout periods to make a baby.

Perhaps normal city living was passing them by too fast, so go back to the Dark Ages when candles ruled and families were large.

TREVOR BARNES

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