25 February 2010
The Pan Africanist Youth Congress (PAYCO) of Azania wishes to express its utmost disappointment with the manner in which Eskom has gone about seeking electricity tariff hikes for the next three years.
We are convinced that Eskom, NERSA and the government were trying to hoodwink the poor by pretending to ask for a 35% increase while they knew very well that what they were actually looking for is a pre-agreed figure of 25% as allowed by NERSA.
The electricity tariff hike is part of government agenda to make sure that the poor remains poor and continues to live in abject poverty. This again confirms that the ANC actually asked Eskom to delay the announcement until last year’s general elections.
Only few elites can cope with this increase, while poor family households are still battling with the 31% increase enforced upon them last year. The public hearings held were just a waste of time and resources and a reminder to the poor African masses that they have no say.
Government would be advised not to play dirty tricks on poor African people and call for a reversal of this dubious electricity tariff increase because majority of poor people are not going to benefit. We live in a country with the highest income inequalities and this increase is just worsening the sorrows of the downtrodden masses hence we call for the government to reverse this clumsy decision.
Issued By PAYCO
Lucky Khoza
Secretary General
