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Thread: Heads must roll

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    Platinum Member Chatmaster's Avatar
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    Heads must roll

    OK, so I have been thinking about the reaction from government and Eskom about the current situation. Both parties avoid taking serious responsibility for the current state of affairs. Both simply state that we are in this position and need to look forward to fix it.

    My take is the following. The same government is in power and the then minister responsible is now our dep. president. Why has there been no action taken by Thabo Mbeki until now? How on earth can people that has been so idiotic still be involved in carrying the responsibility their positions do carry?

    The same goes for Eskom. They told government about the state of affairs for the past 10 years, but did nothing more to inform us (Thabo's bosses) about the gross negligence on their part. Instead they told us all a bunch of lies last year, whilst sitting back and watching the clock tick on the bomb. How on earth can we trust any of these individuals, if they are clearly incompetent? Seriously, how on earth can incompetent people be expected to fix this then?

    I want to see heads roll, and be assured that they will be replaced by people that are competent. How do you feel about this, given, I am angry that this is costing me a fortune, but doesn't it make sense given the seriousness of the situation?
    Roelof Vermeulen (Entrepreneurship in large organizations)
    Roelof Vermeulen| Rock flaps south africa

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    At least somebody needs to lose their job!

    It'll be a scapegoat - but that's the way these things go. If nobody loses their job - well let's wait and see before I say much more.

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    Moderator IanF's Avatar
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    I vote for our President Mbeki to go. Surely that is where the buck stops. Lets ask JZ to do it.
    Only stress when you can change the outcome!

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    I came across an announcement from May 2005 (google for "eskom energy crisis", it is the first result!).

    Energy Minister dismisses energy crisis claims

    Minerals and Energy Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ncquka last week emphasised that there, “is no power-generation capacity crisis” in South Africa.

    During her Budget Vote speech to Parliament, the Minister said that, while there was a decrease in surplus capacity, measures were being taken to improve the country’s power-generation capabilities before demand exceeded capacity. The programme to increase power capacity was progressing well and Eskom was on track to bring a further 3 000 MW onstream from the return to service of mothballed power stations, she said.

    Further, a tender process had begun for the procurement of 1 000 MW through independent power producers, scheduled for commissioning in 2008.

    A number of other feasibility studies were under way for future power development opportunities, with a focus on renewable and environment-friendly energy sources.

    An energy-efficiency strategy had also been drawn up, which set targets to be achieved by 2014.
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    lol - on the Eskom website too.

    Reckon they were making sure there was a record of the statement?

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    Platinum Member Chatmaster's Avatar
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    In my opinion that doesn't get Eskom of the hook. They still lied last year and also we as the public was not informed of the true state of our electricity.

    This mentality that the government is acting like they are royalty is bs, they report to us and are only our employees imo it is time entities like Eskom get that through their sculls as well.
    Roelof Vermeulen (Entrepreneurship in large organizations)
    Roelof Vermeulen| Rock flaps south africa

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Some of the people in the firing line.
    Public enterprises minister Alec Erwin and Eskom chief executive Jacob Maroga have received an avalanche of criticism over the way they have handled the energy crisis and the manner in which it has affected the mining industry.

    Democratic Alliance minerals and energy spokesperson Hendrik Schmidt said the lack of political accountability was the biggest problem.

    While deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the former minister of minerals and energy, had apologised for the government underestimating economic growth, Schmidt said both Erwin and his predecessor as public enterprises minister, transport minister Jeff Radebe, should resign.

    "It would be the honourable thing to do."

    Maroga told a media conference on Friday morning that he was "not aware" of mines being closed even though a letter - allegedly in Maroga's name - was sent out the previous night advising of necessary shutdowns. The letter said key industrial consumers had to reduce their power loads to minimum levels.

    Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said it was "really astonishing" that there had not been thorough consultation behind the scenes before Maroga appeared at the press conference. "It has unbelievable consequences. It is very short-sighted. They [Eskom] don't seem to have any idea of the international perceptions and implications."

    Mulder said the government had told journalists that Botswana would no longer receive power when this message had apparently not even been conveyed to that country's government. "We will take a hammering from international investors," he said.
    full story from Business Report here
    But no sign of anyone's head rolling as yet.

    Clearly, whilst everyone else sees a major problem, for the ANC this is merely the inconvenient price of "progress"

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    Moderator IanF's Avatar
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    Having just watched Carte Blanche the senior management in ESKOM should go. The idiot from Eskom could not give a straight answer as to whether they were exporting power. It seems as Eskom screwed the BEE transporters of coal so they have none. No coal means no power. They should all go.
    Only stress when you can change the outcome!

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    well it looks looks like zuma and his band of merry comrades will get their glory.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by IanF View Post
    Having just watched Carte Blanche the senior management in ESKOM should go.
    I didn't watch Carte Blanche last night, but I've just had a detailed account of it and by the sounds of things, you are so right.

    The bottleneck, it seems, is getting the coal from the mines to the power station. The blackouts are because the power stations do not have enough coal on hand to burn!

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