KUKHALWA ngogesi omba eqolo eNingizimu Afrika njengoba ucwaningo luveza ukuthi u-57.9% womholo wabantu bakuleli uphelela emalini yokuthenga ugesi neyokugibela.
Isolezwe lithole ukuthi ngo-R200 abantu sebethola ugesi wekhadi owu-59.3 units kanti phambilini ububa wu-80 units.
Ngo-R500 sebethola ama-unit awu-149.5, phambilini bebethola awu-168.4.
Lezi yizibalo zikagesi othengwa ngabantu baKwaZulu-Natal, eGauteng abantu bakhona babhekene nenye inkinga njengoba emalini abathenga ngayo ugesi kudonswa uR200 okuthiwa wokukhokhela ukulungiswa kwengqalasizinda.
UMnuz Mervyn Abrahams wenhlangano eyenza ucwaningo ngokubiza kokudla nesimo senhlalo, iPietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group, uthe ucwaningo lwabo luthole ukuthi u-57.9% wamaholo uqedwa wugesi nemali yokugibela.
Uthe ugesi uyabiza kakhulu kufanele uhulumeni eze nezindlela zokuwehlisa.
“Ngaphambi kokuthi iNational Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) inyuse intengo kagesi sathumela izethulo zokuthi akufanele unyuswe kakhulu. Inkinga abantu abazihambeli izithangami zeNersa ukuze babeke imibono yabo ngokubiza kukagesi. Kwabanye omasipala unyuke ngo-13%, kwabanye unyuke ngo-16%. Yisimo esithwalisa kanzima abantu ngoba kusho ukuthi u-57.9% womholo wabo ukhokhela ugesi bese enye ingxenye bayisebenzisele ukugibela uma beya emsebenzini,” kuchaza u-Abrahams.
Uthe bazoqhubeka nokukhala ezinhlakeni ezifanele kodwa wagqugquzela abantu ukuthi ngonyaka ozayo bahambele izithangami zeNersa futhi bayibhale phansi imibono yabo yokuthi kungani ugesi kungafanele unyuke ngamalengiso.
Ubuye waveza ukuthi i-Eskom iwunyusa kakhulu ugesi ngoba ifuna ukuqoqa imali eyayilahlekela kodwa okubuhlungu le mali isikhokhwa ngabantu abampofu.
“Abantu abacebile banama-solar nezinye izindlela zokuphehla ugesi. Okusho ukuthi eminyakeni ezayo kuzosala abampofu abancike kugesi wase-Eskom. Kufanele uhulumeni eze nezindlela zokuxhasa ugesi ophakelwa abantu emizini yabo ngoba njengamanje ubiza kakhulu,” usho kanje.
Uthe abantu abakwazi ngisho ukuthengela imindeni yabo ukudla okunomsoco ngenxa yokubiza kukagesi, imali mboleko enyuka njalo nokubiza kwezinga lempilo.
Ubuye waphakamisa ukuthi bafuna iNational Minimum Wage (NMW) inyuke ibe wuR40 ngehora njengoba iwuR27.58 okwamanje.
Uveze ukuthi ukubiza kwempilo kwenza abasebenzi baboleke imali noma behola ngenxa yokuthi abakwazi ukuthenga ukudla, ukukhokha ugesi nokwenza ezinye izidingo zempilo.
“I-NMW kufanele inyuke ukuze abasebenzi bakwazi ukuphila impilo engcono. Iholo lomuntu oyedwa londla abantu abane kuya phezulu. Umholo wabo njengamanje awubaniki isikhala sokonga nesokuphila impilo engcono. Bayaphoqeleka ukuyoboleka ukuze badle ngenxa yokuthi uhhafu womholo uphelela emalini yokugibela nasekuthengeni ugesi,” kusho u-Abrahams.