The ANC government has been looting our state coffers for decades, and together with their policy on cadre deployment, our government has become a crime syndicate for the benefit of the connected few. Under Ramaphosa’s cabinet corruption continues to flourish, our electricity infrastructure is collapsing and there is no capability to affect a turnaround plan.
For this reason, the Federal Leader of the Official Opposition, John Steenhuisen, tabled a Motion of No Confidence in terms of Section 102 (1) of the Constitution in the entire Cabinet of Ministers.
It is astonishing that the latest bouts of loadshedding – now at stage 4! – came only a week after a devastating hike in the electricity tariffs was granted to Eskom – another state entity that has been plundered to the ground. The citizens of this country bear the brunt every day and after more than a decade of promises to turn this ship around, it is evident that this will not happen.
The time is now. The Cabinet must go.
If we are to secure our energy future, minister Gwede Mantashe must be first out the door. Here follows five reasons why the DA has no confidence in Mantashe.
1. Zondo commission findings on corruption
Justice Raymond Zondo has recommended criminal investigations against Mantashe for accepting Bosasa to install security systems at his three houses in Cala, Elliot in the Eastern Cape and another in Boksburg in Gauteng.
2. Mantashe failed to address the electricity crisis
Since his appointment in 2018, Mantashe has presided over the worst loadshedding period in years. Independent estimates show that since 2018, when President Ramaphosa came to power, South Africa has shed 4 136 GWh of electricity. The economic cost of this loadshedding crisis has resulted in record unemployment and a very high cost of living for vulnerable South Africans. Mantashe must take responsibility for the dysfunctional regulatory environment and planning of our electricity supply sector.
3. Standing in the way of renewable energy and worsening the electricity crisis
The Department of Energy has created a backlog of over 100 renewable energy projects which are trying to secure government permissions. For the most part, this has been due to Mantashe’s Department stifling renewable energy through red tape, delays, bureaucracy and sabotage. To put this in perspective, Vietnam was able to build solar energy capacity equivalent to six coal power plants in 2020 alone.
4. RMIPPP is at a standstill
The Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPP) is at a virtual standstill, with no indication from the Department whether successful bidders will move towards implementation phase. The failure to meet the 27 January 2022 deadline to reach financial close has cast further doubt on the programme’s potential to start generating electricity and alleviating the electricity crisis. Mantashe has gone out of his way to push for the grossly inflated Karpowership deal, which is mired in allegations of corruption and failed to secure the requisite certifications and permissions, due to a lack of clarity on how their operations will impact the marine environment and coastal communities.
5. Coal fundamentalism
In June 2021, Ramaphosa overruled Mantashe and lifted the licencing requirements for energy projects below 100MW, to allow new suppliers to enter the system. These projects are also plagued by unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape, making the amendment to the licensing threshold essentially meaningless. Mantashe has obstinately been pushing for new coal power plants despite increasing evidence that there is a growing aversion to funding such projects by investors. The truth is, as he pushes a hard line on new coal mining projects, workers in the coal mining industry are losing jobs as it begins its sunset.
It is questionable whether Ramaphosa himself has confidence in Mantashe, but the DA cannot watch as raging factions within the ANC are on the cusp of destroying what is left of the country.
Mantashe, along with the rest of the Cabinet, must go – now.
Note to editors: Click here to read the 5 Reasons for the DA’s Motion of No Confidence in Bheki Cele