I-DA ithi ukwenyuswa kukagesi ngo-40% ngonyaka ozayo kuzobahlinzela ezibini abampofu njengoba bevele bedonsa kanzima.
I-DA imashele eRoyal Hotel, enkabeni yeTheku, izolo lapho bekunesigcawu sokulalelwa kwemibono yomphakathi ngodaba lokunyuswa kukagesi ebesiholwa yisikhungo esilawula ezamandla kuleli, iNational Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa).
Amalungu eDA abeme ngaphandle kwaleli hhotela nezingqwembe ezibhalwe ukuthi: Stop Eskom’s 40% hike, ezinye zibhalwe ukuthi: Electricity is a need not a luxury. Okuchaza ukuthi u-Eskom awumise ukukhuphula ugesi ngo-40% futhi ugesi uyisidingo, hhayi ukunethezeka.
IMeya ye-DA kuMasipala waseMgeni, uMnuz Chris Pappas, ithe bayasiphikisa isicelo se-Eskom sokuthi ugesi ukhushulwe ngo-40% ngonyaka ozayo.
“Abantu abakwazi ukukhokhela ugesi njengoba u-Eskom uhluleka. Siyazibuza ukuthi lokhu kunyuka kukagesi kuzophumaphi njengoba abantu behluphekile,” kusho uPappas.
Uthe bazishaya amakhanda ukuthi abantu bazowukhokhela ngani ugesi njengoba behluphekile futhi banxenxa iNersa ukuthi isichithe isicelo se-Eskom.
“Siyi-DA sithi uNersa angavumi ukukhuphula ugesi. Sekuyisikhathi sokuthi u-Eskom ulungise izinkinga zawo kanye nokukhwabanisa. Abantu abakwazi ukuqhubeka nokukhokhela ukunyuka kukagesi njengoba u-Eskom uhluleka,” usho kanje.
Uthe bayazibuza ukuthi njengoba isimo sempilo siqhubeka nokubiza, umphakathi wona uzokwenzenjani. Uthe ukunyuswa kukagesi bagcina sebekhokhela ukuhluleka kwe-Eskom ukuphatha kahle umsebenzi wabo.
UMnuz Sandile Kheswa, oyilungu lomphakathi ebelihambele lesi sigcawu seNersa, ohlala eSydenham, uthe kulukhuni satshe njengoba kubikwa eyokukhushulwa kwawo ugesi.
“Ngithwele kanzima njengoba ngiziphilisa ngemali yempesheni. Ekhaya singu-6, amadodakazi ami awasebenzi okwenza isimo singabi lula. Ugesi besiwukhokhela kodwa sigcine sesiwudonsa ngenxa yokubiza kwawo,” kusho uKheswa.
UNobhala waBahlali baseMjondolo, uMnuz Thapelo Mohapi, uthe ukunyuswa kukagesi kuzohluphekisa abantu kakhulu.
“Abantu abangafeli ukuthi osopolitiki badla, baphinde bakhwabanisa imali kwa-Eskom. Sifuna ugesi uhlinzekwe mahhala kubantu abahluphekile,” kusho uMohapi.
Uthe esimweni esinje uhulumeni kumele abhekelele abantu futhi kuyabathusa ukuthi abantu abahluphekile bazokhokhela izono zosopolitiki abadla imali ngesikhathini bedla uMbuso ngobhongwane.
Khonamanjalo, okhulumela iNersa kuzwelonke, uMnuz Charles Ndebele, uthe uyazi ukuthi zikhona izikhalazo eziqhamuka emphakathini mayelana nokukhushulwa kukagesi.
“Njengesikhungo esilawula amandla siyazama ukuzilungisa lezo zinkinga. Indima yethu njengesikhungo wukuqinisekisa ukuthi kunokulingana ukuze u-Eskom uqhubeke nokuphehla uphinde uhlinzeke ugesi,” usho kanje.
UMnuz Ndebele ugcizelele nokuthi isinqumo sokuthi ugesi uyakhushulwa noma cha sizophuma ngoDisemba 20.