‘Scene of the crime’ – DA to march to Luthuli House against the ‘ANC-engineered’ electricity crisis

DA leader John Steenhuisen. Photo: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais

• The DA said it will march to Luthuli House in Johannesburg after Nersa approved an 18.65% tariff hike.
• Party leader John Steenhuisen said Luthuli House was where decisions were made by the ANC to deploy corrupt cadres.
• The ANC said they noted the “mischief” conveyed by the DA.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) announced they would be marching to the ANC headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg after the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) approved an 18.65% tariff hike by Eskom for the 2023/24 financial year.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said consumers must join in to march against the ANC’s destruction of the country’s energy infrastructure and the economy as well as to demand urgent solutions to the escalating crisis. 

“[We] will specifically target Luthuli House, because this is the scene of the crime that the ANC continues to perpetrate against the people of South Africa through permanent stage 6 load shedding and the latest 18.65% electricity tariff increase. It is at Luthuli House where, over the past three decades, the decisions were made to “deploy” the corrupt and incompetent cadres who plundered and destroyed Eskom. 

“It is at Luthuli House that corrupt tenders were handed out, including for the ill-fated construction of the Medupi and Kusile power stations that have cost our country so dearly,” Steenhuisen said.

READ | SA is one step away from Stage 8 load shedding as breakdowns, cash shortages lead to disaster

Meanwhile, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe told News24 that the party notes the “mischief” conveyed by the DA across social media platforms to march to Luthuli House.

He said the ANC has declared 2023 the “year of decisive action and commit to stay[ing] true to our declaration.”

“The ANC will respond in due course including outlining more comprehensively our position on the recurring energy crisis. We stand on the side of the people and share in their frustrations on the ongoing electricity load shedding ravaging households and badly affecting the economy,” Mabe said.

He said that without descending into a populist electioneering stunt “we are of the view that the issue of energy security requires immediate practical action.”  

“We have also urged our government to work towards ending load shedding. Our people do not want empty statements. They want action and tangible timeframes,” Mabe said. 

News24 understands the party will on Sunday gather to receive a report on this work.

“The ANC through its Secretary General will report to the public on the way forward during the week,” Mabe said.