Cape Chamber calls for inquiry to investigate crisis at Eskom

Lusanda Bill
03 December 2014

The Cape Chamber of Commerce has called for a set up of a full scale judicial commission of inquiry to deal with the Eskom crisis.

The commission says an inquiry will be the best way to hold accountable those who had made bad decisions or who had failed to make any decisions at all.

Last month a coal silo at the Majuba Power station in Mpumalanga collapsed resulting in rolling blackouts across the country. 

Cape Chamber of Commerce President Janine Myburgh said there are so many conflicting stories, allegations and denials and the only way to get to the truth is to hand the job to a judge assisted by independent technical and managerial experts.

Meanwhile Eskom last week said it is considering voluntary retrenchment packages for employees. The power utility said the applications would be considered on a case-by-case basis starting in February 2015.

Myburgh said the first step should be to stop the voluntary retrenchment process, as this is the easy way to reduce numbers but it is also the worst way.  It will ensure that some of the best qualified but most frustrated members of staff take the package and go.

However the Cape Chamber said some issues that need to be investigated at Eskom include the neglect of essential maintenance work, the construction and other contracts for the new power stations and Eskom’s refusal to consider offers to provide gas power stations.