Eskom doesn’t answer business
The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) confirmed that it has to date not received any response from power utility Eskom about a requested meeting to discuss the power crisis.
"We've asked for a meeting with the Eskom CEO [Jacob Maroga]. To date no response," a SACCI spokesperson told I-Net Bridge.
He added that Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) had also asked for a meeting with Eskom.
"To date, no information as to the response," he concluded.
The SACCI movement addresses all the economic, social and political issues affecting the business community in one way or another, and right now the biggest challenge is the impact of the power outages on production.
The cost has been estimated by some people at as much as five billion rand per annum and some have pinned it at anywhere from 5% of turnover.
Business organisations are trying to consult with Eskom about, among other things, establishing schedules for industries so that industries like plastics, for example, that have materials under production at a given time, do not lose those materials due to load shedding.
Instead, the load shedding should be scheduled to take place in their industry at a time when they don't have specific materials under production.
Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) was created in October 2003 through the merger of the Black Business Council and Business South Africa. It began operating in January 2004.
The merger created the first truly unified organisation for business in South Africa. It represents South African business on macroeconomic and high-level issues that affect it at national and international levels.
International suppliers and consumers will no doubt also be waiting for a response as the repercussions resonate globally.
President Thabo Mbeki has, however, just met with Eskom and he together with Eskom turned the focus on consumers and requested them to save more energy, without apparently coming up with any specific plans to resolve the crisis.
South Africa has been suffering from severe blackouts for over a week and according to Eskom the pain at this magnitude is set to continue for another week at least.
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