The Democratic Alliance (DA) rejects the misleading information circulated this weekend about its position on energy supply in Johannesburg.
It seeks to play off communities against one another for media headlines.
The DA supports local government taking charge of electricity supply and ending the failed Eskom model.
This includes stable, economically advantageous electricity provision to areas such as Soweto, Ivory Park, Orange Farm and Sandton.
This can be done with a fair, best practice, cross-subsidisation funding model suitable to a local government driving economic growth across the city.
In no uncertain terms, will the DA support any proposal where Sandton or other Johannesburg residents are subjected to higher electricity rates to further bail out Eskom’s mess such as of ballooning debt and backlog of ageing infrastructure.
ANC corruption has destroyed the City’s finances and created a backlog of basic services while resulting in many unnecessary job losses.
That is why the DA actively drives the procurement of electricity by municipalities from a diverse pool of independent power producers – as seen in the Western Cape where loadshedding is being directly addressed.
The competition among power producers can help drive down the costs of electricity rates for residents; ensure they can keep more money in their pockets and create economic growth and job creation.
This is exactly what the DA wants to get done in Johannesburg.
Any takeover of Eskom supply areas by City Power cannot be unconditional and no ANC mess will be passed onto the rate payers of the city.
Those that can afford to pay, must pay for their electricity; those who cannot afford to must be ably assisted – while jobs are created – illegal connections must be ended, and poor revenue collection and breakdown of infrastructure turned around.
Just like in Cape Town and elsewhere where we are clearly a model party of good government, the DA will get things done in the City of Gold.