ACTIONSA is angry at President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This is after Ramaphosa applied for leave to appeal the landmark judgement that declared load shedding unconstitutional and ordered government to ensure that there was electricity supply for public schools, hospitals, and the South African Police Service.
The judgment was handed down by the Full Bench of the North Gauteng High Court on 1 December 2023.
On Tuesday, 2 January, ActionSA President Herman Mashaba said despite Ramaphosa initially “welcoming” the judgment, taxpayers are now forced to fund the extensive legal team.
“ActionSA is outraged that, at a time when South Africa’s public finances are under severe strain, the President, the Minister of Electricity (Kgosientsho Ramokgopa), and Eskom (and other organs of state), have rather elected to apply for leave to appeal the landmark judgement handed down by the Full Bench of the North Gauteng High Court on 1 December 2023,” he said.
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Mashaba said instead of addressing the concerns raised by the court ruling, including that load shedding infringes on the basic constitutional rights of South Africans and protecting the most vulnerable against the power crisis through exempting schools, police stations and hospitals, Ramaphosa and Ramokgopa have rather decided to spend taxpayer’s money to appeal the ruling.
He said it was well known how communities across Mzansi have been negatively affected by load shedding when police stations’ telephone lines do not work, hospitals fail to take care of sick patients when the lights go off, or studies are interrupted at schools when they fail to have access to power.
Mashaba claimed the government alleged in the appeal that there was “insufficient evidence” to demonstrate these problems.
He said his party will continue to do everything in its power to protect the most vulnerable South Africans from the failures of the ruling party and will take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the government is held accountable.
He pointed out that load shedding remains one of our biggest inhibitors to job creation with thousands of small businesses forced to close as a result, while incidents of crime spike when load shedding occurs.
“It is our duty to protect these crucial services and it is deeply concerning that the President, the Minister, and Eskom simply do not care,” said Mashaba.
