That this Cyril Ramaphosa-led government had to be told by the courts to provide uninterrupted power supply to schools, hospitals and police stations by end of January should be enough to demonstrate how much the state has failed to deliver the most basic services, especially to those who need them the most.
Ramaphosa may downplay the significance of this judgment, with his remarks that the ruling is what the government had always wanted to see, but the fact of the matter is that it was his Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan who arrogantly stated their intention to defend the application brought by the United Democratic Movement and civil society, labour and other political organisations.
A government that is having to be hauled to court to protect dying patients, pupils and police officers from criminals who use the cover of darkness to storm police stations, is not worthy of running the country.
Beyond this, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria found the state to have dismally failed the country and its people. The failure to protect Eskom from criminal activity and state capture, manifested in the energy crisis and in load shedding, constituted breaches to protect and promote the Bill of Rights.
The president may have been successful in spinning other matters, like how he convinced the public protector and the reserve bank that there was nothing wrong with him stashing undeclared currency in furniture on his Phala Phala farm.
The Eskom problem is perhaps as old as when Ramaphosa became deputy president. He was also in charge of the war room that his predecessor, Jacob Zuma, established to get to the bottom of the energy crises.
So whenever he becomes “shocked” by Stage 6 load shedding, that is telling of the kind of president he is – someone who conveniently acts surprised when the narrative does not suit him.
The energy crises will spell the end of the ANC. Along the way there have already been casualties, including big firms relocating their operations elsewhere.
Thankfully our courts have once again reassured the rights of the citizens.
Cape Times