Civil rights organization AfriForum is suing Eskom in order to obtain information regarding the power supplier’s controversial deals with its service providers.
The group is taking legal action to compel Eskom to provide details of the contracts such as those involving coal supplies and transport companies.
This comes as the country battles chronic load shedding which is crippling individual households and businesses across the country.
Public information
AfriForum said it served an application on Eskom in terms of the Public Access to Information Act (PAIA) on 12 July 2022.
It said the PAIA application demanded information on active contracts that Eskom has with various service providers.
“Eskom responded to this application, but key information was redacted and withheld from AfriForum. The civil rights organization filed an internal appeal on 28 September 2022, as well as pointing out that Eskom did not provide an adequate explanation of why the information was withheld.”
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“That is why AfriForum argued that Eskom did not comply with the PAIA Act. However, Eskom did not respond to the internal appeal and AfriForum is now forced to take legal action with the aim of obtaining a court order obliging Eskom to release this information,” it said.
Damage to SA
Reiner Duvenage, campaign officer for strategy and content at AfriForum said the “failure of Eskom is causing incalculable damage to the country.”
“That is why AfriForum is fighting in court for transparency and that the information about Eskom’s contracts must be made public. If AfriForum succeeds with the application and any irregularities are found, action will be taken against Eskom in the strictest possible way,” Duvenage said.
End load shedding
Earlier this week, a group of attorneys and political parties led by Mabuza Attorneys wrote a letter of demand to public enterprises minister, Pravin Gordhan, and Eskom demanding an end to load shedding.
They demanded that there be no load shedding without procedural fairness and a fair opportunity to make alternative arrangements to affected persons and businesses.
Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha confirmed that the parastatal received a letter of demand from Mabuza Attorneys.
“Eskom will assess the content of the letter and respond accordingly,” Mantshantsha said.
Complied by Faizel Patel
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