MINISTER of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says they are receiving legal advice on the Pretoria High Court judgment that the government should exempt schools, hospitals and police stations from load shedding by the end of January.
Ramokgopa said they understood the need to provide uninterrupted electricity, but needed to know how to interpret the judgment.
The UDM, IFP, ActionSA, other parties and civil society organisations had taken the government to court to force it not to implement load shedding at schools, hospitals and police stations.
Ramokgopa said on Sunday, during a media briefing, that they were studying the judgment and would communicate once they had received legal advice on the matter.
He said he wanted to assure the public that the government has no intention to abrogate its responsibility of providing electricity without interruption to protect the economy and attract investments.
They had been trying to deal with power cuts for some time and hoped at some point they would end the energy crisis.
Ramokgopa said they had a constitutional obligation to protect schools, hospitals and police stations from power cuts, but were trying to manage the crisis.
He said there were two possible interpretations of the judgment and they were seeking legal advice on the matter.
“There are two interpretations possible. The one interpretation is that by the 31st (of January) there is a plan, these institutions will not be load shed, come February 1 they are exempted. The second interpretation could be that by the 31st you come before the court and say this is how you will address this,” said Ramokgopa.
“Like I say, I am no legal fundi, the legal people will be advising us on what that interpretation is,” he said.
He said they would not shy away from their responsibility to provide schools, hospitals and police stations with power.
The country was currently in the middle of an energy crisis and they would obtain the correct interpretation of the judgment.
However, Ramokgopa said, there were also financial implications, depending on the nature of the advice they received.
“Depending on which interpretation, then you must go to the budget. Do you have enough to roll out those alternative power solutions to police stations, to schools and to hospitals? It’s a conversation that will still happen in government as a function how we understand the ruling.”
Ramokgopa said they would report back to the public once legal advice had been received on the matter.
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