'Eskom's power cuts endangering motorists '

January 17, 2008, 08:15

Economist Mike Schussler says power cuts are endangering motorists at traffic intersections, inflicting heavy losses on businesses and infuriating South Africans.

State-owned utility Eskom is planning to spend R300-billion to boost power capacity over the next five years.

Schussler says South Africa, who are plagued by rolling blackouts are losing patience as electricity reserves get eroded by several years of strong economic growth. Schussler says South Africa has paid a heavy price because of the outages.

Earlier, Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana said he was considering investigating Eskom's power cuts. Mushwana says he will wait for Eskom's answers before deciding whether or not to proceed with an investigation into the power utility's electricity cuts.

Critics have accused the government of failing to address the energy crunch plaguing the country as it gears up to host the soccer World Cup in 2010. Meanwhile, Eskom has now imposed new cuts, which have also affected the crucial mining industry.

Sabcnews.com