By: Natasha Archary
Former President Thabo Mbeki has taken a public swipe at President Cyril Ramaphosa and Eskom management, saying loadshedding is a proof SA lacks quality leadership.
While the sentiments are indeed indicative of what many South Africans feel, it may be a little hypocritical of Mbeki to point fingers when loadshedding first reared it’s ugly head during his tenure.
The first time South Africans were plunged into the darkness was in 2007, and in January the following year, Mbeki apologised to the country with his tail between his legs.
Speaking at Unisa on Wednesday, 21 September, the former statesman didn’t hold back in his criticism of Ramaphosa and Eskom’s management.
“Just before I came, former statistician general Pali Lehohla made an interesting observation regarding the energy issue, that Eskom is a big engineering institution but also a big business.
And he said, therefore, in terms of its leadership, you need engineers and economists, but instead we have politicians and accountants.
I am not saying he was right, but he was looking at the issue of the quality of leadership in the country.”
Was Mbeki to blame for loadshedding?
The question most Kaya Drive listeners had for Mr. Mbeki was why then did he not heed Eskom’s warnings of loadshedding getting worse when he had the chance?
Instead, Mbeki dismissed loadshedding, saying it was simply an opportunity for economic growth through infrastructure expansion.
“Before Mbeki points fingers, can he answer why he didn’t leave a succession plan in place for the next President? Is there even a succession plan that gets passed on before the next President takes over?”
A Kaya Drive listener responded to Thabo Mbeki’s statement about the loadshedding crisis
Thabo Mbeki said that while loadshedding was a problem during his Presidency, new power stations have since been built, and yet the power crisis has only worsened.
“Why are the new power stations, Medupi and Kusile misbehaving like the old ones?”
Kaya Drive host, Sizwe Dhlomo shared his thoughts on Mbeki’s stance on the loadshedding matter, and believes that the former President is playing the good old game of politics.
“The mistake that we often make is that we think governance is just about management, it’s more than that. It’s politics as well. So when you see Thabo Mbeki doing what he’s doing, saying what he’s saying, on the platforms he’s using, just know he’s playing politics.
Because first you have to weaken the opposition or at least poke holes in the current administration to get people’s attention, and I guarantee you in the months to come, he will present to us a candidate that he thinks is worthy of filling Cyril’s shoes.”
Listen to the conversation on Kaya Drive:
Also read: Ramaphosa still mum about power crisis as economy buckles
