- South Africa’s beleaguered Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, has been accused of worsening the country’s energy crisis by his departments inability to procure new generation capacity responsibly and in good time.
- The three procurement programme’s that he has implimented since becoming energy minister in 2019 have not delivered a single electron into the grid plus they have been riddled with controversy, extended delays and allegations of tender rigging. Read more
Mantashe says that ‘talks are underway within the ANC to side-line him from taking over stewardship of ailing power utility Eskom.’ He was speaking at the ANC’s 9th Free State elective conference earlier today where he delivered the opening address.
Mantashe has been accused of being a big fan of coal power and deliberately delaying the procurement of new generation capacity which has worsened the country’s energy crisis. Read more
Last month he publically attacked Eskom and de Ruyter by saying that load shedding was becoming worse than state capture because of how it directly affects citizens and takes a toll on the economy. “Eskom, by not attending to load shedding, is actively agitating for the overthrow of the state”, Mantashe said. De Ruyter resigned a few days later. Read more
He said that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy will likely be split into two separate entities with a new minister in charge. He said that there is a calculated plan to make sure that the ailing power utility, Eskom, is not placed under his custodianship.
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Criticising his own party’s leadership , the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC), Mantashe said the move was meant to appease liberals who want the country to reduce carbon emissions at the cost of citizens who face blackouts. He said that the NEC wants to replace him with someone who favours green energy.
The ANC resolved to move the country’s state owned energy utility, Eskom, from the Ministry of State Owned Enterprises to the Ministry of Energy at their recently held elective conference. Read more
“Within the ANC there is a new debate that says energy and mining must be split. They will split energy from my department then say they are taking Eskom to energy in terms of the resolution from the conference of the ANC,” said Mantashe.
South African’s face up to 10 hours of blackouts daily and the cost to the economy is a massive R950 million a day.
Watch the full speech HERE
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
