Speaker, die voormalige Minister van Openbare Ondernemings, Minister Alex Erwin, het in 2006 hierdie Parlement die versekering gegee dat Suid-Afrika nie beurtkrag sal ervaar nie. Sy woorde was skaars koud toe ervaar Suid-Afrika donkerte wat die ekonomie R2 miljard per dag gekos het.
Die tariefverhoging van 27,5% verlede jaar deur die Nasionale Energiereguleerder van Suid-Afrika, Nersa, en Elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie, Eskom, en 31,3% vir vanjaar, gaan egter geen duik maak aan die R283 miljard wat Eskom vir sy kapitaaluitbreidingsprogram nodig het nie. Nou blyk dit dat Eskom 'n 40% tariefverhoging vir volgende jaar in gedagte het met inflasionistiese tendense wat gaan lei tot rentekoersverhogings en die ekonomie verder gaan knou. As ons kyk na die Moody's-agentskap vir kredietgradering se swak gradering van Eskom, gaan Eskom ook nie internasionale finansiering bekom nie.
Eskom se tweede groot kopseer is dat 'n vakbondopname nou toon dat 62% van sy werkers ontevrede is en ook nie vir hulle 'n toekoms by Eskom sien nie vanwe onvoldoende diensvoorwaardes. Eskom staar dus nou ook 'n geweldige vaardigheidstekort in die gesig.
'n Groot kopseer egter vir die verbruikers van Suid-Afrika is dat die Kabinet goedgekeur het dat 30% krag deur privaatondernemings opgewek kan word, maar om die een of ander bisarre rede het Eskom sedert Januarie 2008 geweier om kontrakte aan privaatondernemings wat krag opwek, toe te staan.
Die DA is egter vol vertroue dat die Minister en die Kabinet hul volle aandag aan hierdie saak sal skenk om te voorkom dat ons binnekort weer in donkerte sal verval. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Dr S M VAN DYK (DA): Speaker, the former Minister for Public Enterprises, Minister Alex Erwin, gave this House the assurance in 2006 that South Africa would not experience load shedding. His words had scarcely been uttered when South Africa experienced darkness, which cost the economy R2 billion per day.
Last year's tariff hike of 27,5% by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, Nersa, and Electricity Supply Commission, Eskom, and the 31,3% hike for this year, will however make no difference to the R283 billion that Eskom requires for its programme for capital expansion. It now appears that Eskom has a 40% tariff hike in mind for next year, which will have inflationary implications, and will lead to increases in interest rates and further harm the economy. When we look at Eskom's poor rating by Moody's credit rating agency, Eskom will also not obtain international financing.
Eskom's second biggest headache is that a union survey now indicates that 62% of its workers are dissatisfied and do not see a future for themselves at Eskom owing to inadequate conditions of service. Therefore, Eskom is now also facing an immense skills shortage.
A big headache, however, for the consumers of South Africa is that Cabinet approved that 30% of power may now be generated by private companies, but for some bizarre reason or another Eskom has refused to grant contracts to private power generation companies since January 2008. The DA fully believes, however, that the Minister and the Cabinet will give their full attention to this matter in order to prevent us from returning to darkness very soon. I thank you.]