Pretoria - Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has denounced assertions that Eskom was implementing stage 8 load shedding.
This comes after rumours that the power utility had imposed stage 8 without informing the public.
Ramokgopa was presenting his energy plan to the ANC’s national working committee in Polokwane on Monday night.
The plan aims to reduce load shedding and will be presented to the National Assembly for approval after the governing party has scrutinised it.
The committee was on a two-day meeting with its Limpopo party structures.
Referring to weekend reports that Eskom had implemented stage 8 load shedding, Ramokgopa said: “I have noted some reportage that suggests we are already at stage 8 load shedding. I want to say that such information is not sitting with me.”
He added that Eskom continued to implement stage 6 load shedding and was working on reducing it.
“As the governing party, we are invested in the resolution of this problem, that’s why we were summoned to come here and present the action plan that we have been working on.
“We are ready to share with the NWC, go to Cabinet, and then make it public so that we provide relief to the South African people and its economy.”
His plan will be shared with the nation once it is approved by Cabinet.
With winter coming, the country will most likely experience higher stages of load shedding.
Ramokgopa said he, along with the Public Enterprise minister, met with the Eskom board of directors last week to find solutions on tackling the power cuts.
Ramokgopa stressed that he would be honest with the nation at all times.
“I did indicate at the onset of my responsibilities that I’m going to be very open, transparent, and totally open with the South African public, and I’ll take every opportunity to share with the public the kind of progress that we are making in resolving both the intensity and regularity of load shedding,” he said
“We know that there have been major units that have failed, and I’m referring here to Koeberg.
“It’s important that we’re able to have an appreciation of what brought us to where we are now at stage 6.”
Eskom has since announced that the country would remain on stage 6 indefinitely, after Koeberg power station tripped at the weekend.
Pretoria News