
What exactly is the Electricity minister’s role in dealing with load shedding?
Many people have wondered just what Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s job entails since his appointment as the minister of electricity.
Kaya Biz with Gugulethu Mfuphi spoke to Tshepo Kgadima, Energy Expert on his perspective on what the Minister of Electricity’s role really entails.
LISTEN TO THE FULL CONVERSATION HERE:
In an effort to reassure the South African public that he and his Party were serious about addressing the loadshedding situation, President Ramaphosa announced the nomination of the new Minister of Electricity.
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The reality however is that Ramokgopa does not have any ministerial powers thus making his role and function within the cabinet unclear.
“When Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was named the so-called Minister of Electricity, it was perhaps indicative of the direction the country was taking, in that 1983 Nigeria appointed a Minister of Power and they have had no power since 1983. That’s possibly the direction we are going.”
Think of it this way, Eskom is an organ of statute, in terms of the Eskom convention act of 2001, and in terms of the public management act executive authority for Eskom is with the Minister of Public Enterprises, that is in terms of the statute. So if you wan to make changes of the nature that President Ramaphosa has suggested, you must first go address the legislation by ammeding the prevailing statute.” says Kgadima,
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