Madam Deputy Speaker, it does not give us in this House confidence when Eskom wants to increase its prices by 16% per year over the next five years, which will effectively double the current prices that consumers pay!
The responsible Minister, hon Gigaba, has spoken on the necessity of the price increase and how we must all "bear the collective pain" in order to fund the necessary programmes. Essentially the hon Minister is asking everyone to fund government's failure!
He has failed to speak on how businesses will be crippled, jobs will be lost, and the cost of food will increase. The poor will not be shielded from the effects of the increase, because they will have to pay for food at hiked prices. The municipalities will also add price mark-ups to cover the cost of running their networks, which will mean everyone pays more than the proclaimed 16%, and this pushes people to take to the streets in mostly violent protests.
Government has the money needed to subsidise the cost of this increase in electricity, if it only manages its finances well. Instead of bailing out entities that spend public funds irresponsibly, and granting exorbitant salary increases to the executives within these entities, government should be looking seriously at how the plight of those affected, mainly the poor, will be alleviated. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: Is it parliamentary for hon Watson to look so sad after the court judgment? [Laughter.]