Johannesburg, 7 February 2019 — In response to the President’s State of the Nation Address, Greenpeace Africa’s Political Advisor, Happy Khambule, has said:
“Greenpeace Africa welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement at SONA that Eskom’s current death spiral is being taken seriously. Recognising the difficulty and complexity of the situation brought on by Eskom’s years of decline, the President has displayed leadership and a commitment to change in the direction of renewable energy, which is something to be celebrated. Removing Eskom’s monopoly and unbundling the utility is a step in the right direction, but still doesn’t go far enough to solve its almost complete reliance on coal, which is driving up the price of electricity, and devastating communities.
“It is good news that the President recognises that the utility’s business model must shift towards renewable energy in order to recover from its current crisis, and that Eskom’s reform must be accompanied by a Just Transition program. We now need to see all of these in action, including an ambitious coal phase-out plan in order for the President’s statements to be taken seriously,” ended Khambule.
Media Contacts:
Chris Vlavianos, Communication Officer – Greenpeace Africa, [email protected], 079 437 4208