Africa-Press – South-Africa. DA members in the Western Cape marched to the ANC’s provincial offices, demanding that the ruling party provide solutions to the energy crisis.
Similar demonstrations took place in other parts of the country, also led by the DA, on Wednesday.
The protests come as the party gears up to challenge the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) decision to approve an 18.36% tariff hike for Eskom.
The DA’s provincial leader, Tertius Simmers, told supporters it was time for citizens to “take back their power”.
“When we entered into this year, we heard many stories about when load shedding will end, and many have asked us why we are marching to the ANC offices. It’s simple. They are the scene of the crime, hulle bly lieg en lieg en lieg [they keep on lying and lying and lying] and we are gatvol of their lies,” he said.
Simmers added ongoing load shedding had impacted various communities and businesses in the province.
“Jobs, the economy, education, health services, food production, transport, municipal services – already broken by the ANC government, are now crushed by blackouts. It is as if the ANC just cannot get enough of harming the people of South Africa,” he said.
During the march, ANC supporters gathered outside the party’s Cape Town office.
While the police maintained a strong presence as supporters tried to disrupt the DA’s rally, some ANC members said they intended to “defend their revolutionary offices”.
DA provincial deputy leader JP Smith said the current power situation must be one of the biggest crises the country had faced since 1994.
“Load shedding has devastated the economy … pushing more and more people into poverty, unemployment and crime and driving away investment,” he added.
ANC chief whip in the Western Cape Pat Lekker accused the DA of playing “cheap and anti-poor politics”.
“Quick to condemn Eskom and Nersa for a proposed tariff increase, the DA-led City of Cape Town still charges an extra water tariff and an extra electricity tariff for residents in the city.”
Lekker was referring to a fixed water charge to cover the cost of water reticulation, and an electricity home user charge for all residential prepaid meters.
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