Thread by @Newzroom405

Happening Now: The ANC is hosting an energy symposium at UJ. DMRE minister Gwede Mantashe and DPE minister Pravin Gordhan due to make an address and will be followed by a panel discussion. #ANC #energycrisis

Fikile Mbalula at ANC energy symposium: Gwede Mantashe is under attack. I can see that. I know where that attack is coming from. But Gwede Mantashe is not running Eskom.. Eskom is run by De Ruyter and is under Pravin Gordhan. Eskom reports to Pravin Gordhan. #Newzroom405

Loadshedding hit the ANC energy symposium at UJ earlier. Since then they've been struggling to get the virtual speakers back online and ready. Mbalula remarks on the loadshedding interruption: "That is the elephant in the room,"

Kenneth Creamer at ANC symposium warns against stopping the implementation of the 18% tariff hike. He says it will only lead to a call from Eskom for a bigger govt bailout later. He suggests targeted relief for important sectors like agriculture, mining and manufacturing instead.

CEO of the Coega Development Corporation, Khwezi Tiya, says government should incentivise shifting the electricity burden from Eskom, says should start by incentivizing the purchase and installation of inverters by businesses and homes.

Cosatu's Matthew Parks says no political party can survive loadshedding for 10 hours a day. He says there are elections in 15 months. So loadshedding shouldn't continue for 24 months. It should be six months. If not then govt should at least get it down to level 4, then level 2.

Gwede Mantashe addressing now. He say they're hoping to get a karpowership contract for 10 years he says that will cost more per unit, but the cost of loadshedding on the economy would still be far more so it's actually still affordable. #Newzroom405

Mantashe says he doesnt agree that loadshedding should continue for 2 years. He says SA needs the resolve to end loadshedding

Mantashe: This issue is agitating society and they think that is an entry point to take us out of power. And when I said they said I'm accusing people without evidence, it's not a matter of accusing without evidence it is a reality of the power cuts agitating for a revolt.

Pravin Gordhan follows Mantashe's address: We have had a history of mishaps from 1998 it's not about blame shifting it's about stating facts. That was followed by the state Capture era and today we have an emergency on our hands. #Newzroom405

Gordhan: We as govt, operating as a whole in govt not just different departments, we need to get the whole of society involved to reduce the demand. A lot can happen to reduce demand on Eskom by as much as 2000 megawatts.

Gordhan: There are a number of systemic issues which the new board has found in the last 100 days. There is a serious lack of accountability... level of corruption is huge around each power station, in respect of coal, fuel and buying fake parts. Police are looking at 2000 cases.

Gordhan: Whether we like it or not corruption is a cancer in our society and particularly at Eskom. Gordhan calls for ideas from symposium attendees on what to do about the sabotage and solutions to the corruption. #Newzroom405

Some input from the engagement with the attendees. Salga suggests running municipal infrastructure on alternative energy sources like solar and battery power.

Now the symposium is being disrupted by ANCYL members who say the ANCYL NYTT members must go back to Luthuli House to pay for the taxis of YL members who went to defend Luthuli House. They say YL members are stuck in the CBD without taxi fare to go home.