Cape Town – The Energy Crisis Movement (ECM) says it rejects the announcement to appoint the minister of electricity and concerned about the declaration of a National State of Disaster.
The movement says it believes that this announcement is more to do with creating a position for a loyal member of the President Cyril Ramaphosa faction within the ANC.
Ramaphosa also declared a national state of disaster over the ongoing energy crisis during the State of the Nation Address.
ECM spokesperson Terzel Rasmus-Williams says that the country has two ministers whose mandate it is to deal with electricity, as well as having a bloated Cabinet. Those ministers are currently Gwede Mantashe and Pravin Gordhan, who are political heads of energy and public enterprises respectively.
“There is no need to spend state funds to create such a position. In fact, it should be considered wasteful expenditure. Funds are better used if allocated to addressing the energy crisis directly.
“We call on all South African citizens to actively, from rural and urban alike, stand up in their own communities and hold government accountable.
“Democracy is not a one-time event but a process we must engage in to ensure that the government of the day, meets their obligations of the social compact,” he said.
Rasmus-Williams also said that they did recognise the deep energy crisis South Africa was facing and that ot was indeed a disaster as defined by the Disaster Management Act.
“Our caution and concern emanates from our recent history of corruption and looting during the Covid-19 pandemic’s National State of Disaster which resulted in the loss of billions of rand in state funds.
“Should there be any corruption or looting during this national state of disaster, the president must resign with immediate effect and those that are implicated who face the full might of the law,” she said.
Rasmus-Williams said they were calling for real time transparency and accountability in the monitoring and evaluation of this National State of Disaster through a website or app, as well as the involvement of parliamentary committees to provide regular and thorough oversight reports.
IOL