UMongameli uCyril Ramaphosa wavuma ngokusemthethweni umbiko weSigaba I seQembu Lokulungisa Kabusha le-Eskom (ERTT) ngomhlaka-30 Julayi 2026, esekela izincomo zokusungula i-Transmission System Operator (TSO) ezimele ngenhloso yokunciphisa izindleko nokuqinisekisa ukutholakala kukagesi okuthembekile. I-ERTT, eholwa nguMqondisi-Jikelele we-National Treasury, iqinisekisile ukuthi lolu hlelo luyenzeka ngaphandle kokubeka engcupheni ukuzinza kwezezimali kwe-Eskom futhi yagcizelela isidingo esiphuthumayo sokubhekana nezikweletu zikamasipala ezisilele emuva, ezibeka ingozi enkulu ohlelweni lwamandla lukazwelonke.

Izincomo Eziyinhloko kanye Nomugqa Wokusebenza

Umbiko we-ERTT uphakamisa ukuhlukaniswa okucacile kwezimpahla zokudlulisa ze-Eskom, uzibeke ngaphansi kwe-TSO ezimele ngokuphelele ezophinde isebenze emakethe kagesi yezwe. Lesi sinyathelo senzelwe ukukhuthaza imakethe kagesi ethengiswayo encintisanayo futhi sidonsele utshalomali oluzimele, ngenhloso yokuletha ugesi othembekile futhi ongabizi kakhulu ezweni lonke. Ukusungulwa kwe-TSO kugunyazwe yi-Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) ukuthi kuqedwe mhla zingama-31 kuZibandlela 2029; okwamanje, imisebenzi yayo iphathwa yi-National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), inkampani engaphansi kwe-Eskom eyasungulwa ngoJulayi 2024.

Ithimba Elisebenzayo, elinamalungu alo ahlanganisa abameleli abavela kuMongameli, uMgcinimafa Kazwelonke, uMnyango Wezamandla Nogesi, i-Eskom, kanye ne-NTCSA, bahlangana okokuqala ngoMashi 2026 ukuze baqondise le nqubo. Indlela ye-ERTT ehlukaniswe ngezigaba ihlose ukuqinisa ezezimali zenkampani, ukwenza ingqalasizinda ibe yesimanje, kanye nokuxazulula isikweletu sikagesi sikamasipala esingaphezu kwezigidigidi ezingama-R60 esikhokhwe isikhathi eside esibalwe njengengozi enkulu yokusebenza embikweni.

Ukubaluleka Kwekusasa Lamandla LaseNingizimu Afrika

Izinkinga ezingapheli zokusebenza kanye nezezimali ze-Eskom ziye zaba umthombo wokuphazamiseka kukagesi njalo kanye nokuphazamiseka okukhulu komnotho, kanti uhlelo lokulungisa kabusha lubhekwa njengokungenelela okubalulekile ekubuyiseleni ukuzinza kanye nokuphepha kwamandla kwesikhathi eside. I-TSO entsha ngeke ilawule kuphela igridi yokudlulisa kazwelonke kodwa futhi izoba umqhubi wemakethe, idale isisekelo sokuncintisana kwangempela ekuhlinzekweni kukagesi okokuqala ngqa emlandweni waseNingizimu Afrika.

UMongameli uRamaphosa, ephawula ukuqinisekiswa kombiko, uthe: “Lo mbiko ukhombisa indlela uhulumeni angaqinisekisa ngayo ukuthi ukwakheka komkhakha kagesi kuyathuthuka ngokuhambisana nemikhuba emihle yamazwe ngamazwe. Kwakha isisekelo sokukhula kweNingizimu Afrika, futhi kuyamukelwa ukuthi bonke abathintekayo ababalulekile bahambisana nalo mgomo.”

Isigaba esilandelayo sizogxila ekusheshiseni ukuzimela kokusebenza kwe-TSO kanye nokuphothula izixazululo zenselelo yezikweletu zikamasipala ezisilele. Kulindeleke ukuthi uhulumeni kanye ne-Eskom babuyekeze inqubekela phambili kuze kube sekupheleni kuka-2026 njengoba umhlahlandlela ka-2029 uqhubeka.