EFF blames poor policies for economic crisis, infrastructure collapse

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for a commission of inquiry into load-shedding, with party leader Julius Malema alleging economic sabotage when there were attempts to shut down coal-fired power stations.

Speaking at the EFF’s Elective Conference in Johannesburg on Friday, Malema emphasises the need for a state-led policy to expand Eskom’s generation capacity, reverse its privatisation, and invest in building more coal-fired power stations.

‘Collapsing infrastructure’

Malema has blamed poor policy choices for South Africa’s ongoing economic crisis. He cites challenges such as low economic growth, the electricity crisis, failing logistics, and collapsing infrastructure.

The EFF leader argues that weak policies over the past 15 years have led to stagnant growth, high unemployment—particularly among women and youth—and a decline in public investment, resulting in the breakdown of critical services and the economy.

“In the past 15 years, we have witnessed a 24% decline in public investment by the central government and public corporations. This decline in public investment has directly contributed to the collapse of the country’s infrastructure, critical services and economy. It is the decline that has led to the collapse of electricity generation capacity, the collapse of logistics and transport networks, the collapse of water infrastructure, the collapse of telecommunications services.”

The EFF says while it’s happy with the current management at Eskom turning the institution around, it remains concerned about the energy policy direction of the country.

“We call on a commission of inquiry into the load shedding that our people were subjected to for more than a decade while people were stealing money by burning oil and benefitting from IPPs. We need to know who the culprits were behind the economic sabotage,” Malema adds.

The EFF says the country experienced economic sabotage when there was an attempt to close down power stations under the notion that their lifespan was ending.

EFF Elective Conference – EFF calls for inquiry into load shedding: