Power crisis, a result of power vacuum - Saleshando
Mpho Mokwape | Friday March 14, 2014 17:13
Responding to the power outages, Saleshando told Parliament this week that the current leadership should have prepared for the worst as the crisis was clear as early as 2008 when Botswana signed a five-year power provision agreement with South Africa’s power utility, Eskom.
He said the agreement stipulated that Botswana would be provided with 350mw in 2008 and 2009, reducing to 250mw in 2010 and 150mw in 2011/12, but the government failed to do everything to be self reliant despite being warned of the reduction.
“To imagine that in 2014 we are still predominately reliant on Eskom and have mismanaged the Morupule B power plant to a point where we are unable to commit to any completion date, two years after the original completion date is scandalous,” said Saleshando.
Saleshando said that a number of promises have been made in the past, but each time power shortages spiraled out of control, the government reaction does not match the seriousness of the crisis.
Meanwhile, Saleshando said despite the President having promised that load shedding would end on July 31, 2013, he still has not come forward to explain to the nation why the country still experiences load shedding.
“We all deal with machines on a daily basis and we know that there are reasonable limitations pertaining to any machine’s reliability to perform to expectations. Permanent machine failure on an investment of P11 billion cannot be condoned,” said Saleshando.
Saleshando said on behalf of the opposition, he is calling on President Ian Khama to among other things avail resources to respond to the ongoing crisis and facilitate for companies with big diesel generators to come forward to minimise power disruptions for the business community.
He further urged the President to address the nation on the current power crisis and open up a debate on possible short to medium term interventions to respond to the power crisis.
“An immediate audit should be instituted into the Morupule B project to establish the reasons behind the inordinate delays for the completion of the project. He should also ascertain whether or not advice had been given, warning against the contracting of the company that was ultimately engaged for the project,” said Saleshando.