13 Jan

UASA Media Release:  13 January 2023

Statement by Abigail Moyo, spokesperson of the trade union UASA:

The latest Nersa-approved hike in Eskom tariffs is yet another blemish on both organisations and government’s tattered and torn reputations.

Forking out an added 18,65% for a service that doesn’t deliver half of what it should is a slap in the face of consumers, workers and businesses alike. It is unaffordable for most, and the prospect of another 12,74% increase next year is sickening.

Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s lame-duck comment this morning that he regrets the current energy challenges merely rubs salt into consumers’ wounds. Nersa’s condition that the hikes are dependent on Eskom driving efficiencies is laughable. Despite government bailouts and tariff increases, Eskom hasn’t been efficient for years. Why would this increase lead to sudden efficiency?

The ridiculous increase – three times the inflation rate – is a step in the wrong direction and holds consumers responsible for Eskom’s failure to deliver and halt the corruption destroying it.

The consistent implementation of stage 6 load shedding puts the country under intolerable pressure. Employers, specifically in the private sector, cannot mitigate this level of load shedding, and UASA foresees an increase in liquidations, retrenchments and business closures.

We need a state of emergency, a war room, and an end to pandering to the whims of political leaders. We need action now. Without power, our country is dead.

For further enquiries or to set up a personal interview, contact Abigail Moyo at 065 170 0162.

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