Loadshedding in rural areas lasts longer than it should and Eskom must account, writes Nkosi Maphumulo.
People in rural areas are paying for the years of corruption and maladministration at Eskom.
It was a weekend when the country was plagued by loadshedding. I happened to be at home in the rural area of Ozwathini in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
On my arrival on Friday evening, the entire village was in the dark due to loadshedding. I asked what time the electricity went off and they said 18:00. I looked at the time and it was 19:17 so it gave me hope that electricity would be restored in half an hour, which is what happened.
At 22:00, the electricity went off again while I was busy watching Brian Molefe testify at the state capture commission of inquiry lead by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. I had asked the family to record it for me so I could watch it on arrival.
At midnight, the electricity supply was not restored after the usual two-hour period of loadshedding. I thought to myself maybe the problem was in my own home. I peeped through the window and saw the whole village was blacked out. Electricity was only restored at 04:00 on Saturday.
Eskom does not respect people in rural areas. Their loadshedding intervals are abnormal. Maybe there is a notion that they don't contribute much to the economy as there aren't any industrial areas in their area. But they deserve to be treated equally and like people in the urbanised world.
All those who have contributed to the financial crisis at Eskom must be brought to book. Zondo must allow Molefe to complete his testimony into the affairs of Eskom. President Cyril Ramaphosa must account for his actions and the role he played as the chairperson of the Eskom war room to eliminate loadshedding.
Contracts that have been signed for up to 40 years must be reviewed and cancelled.
- Nkosi Maphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal.