Public Enterprises to challenge load shedding ruling
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says his department will appeal the High Court ruling that ordered the government to exempt hospitals, clinics, schools and police stations from load shedding.
On Friday, Gordhan was ordered by Judge Norman Davis to "take all reasonable steps" within 60 days to ensure that the ruling is implemented.
It was after a legal bid by various political parties and civic organisations to spare some public service facilities from rolling blackouts.
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They had also asked the court to exempt water and sanitation services, small businesses that deal in perishable goods, and cellphone networks from load shedding.
But the judgment only focused on education, health and policing facilities.
The High Court in Pretoria found the state has repeatedly breached its constitutional and statutory duties and that these breaches infringe on citizens' rights to healthcare, security and education.
In a statement on Monday, Gordhan said the department has serious concerns about the implications of the court ruling on the current efforts to stabilise the national grid.
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"The department has studied the ruling and has determined through legal advice that the prudent step to take is to lodge an appeal to set aside the ruling and allow for the ongoing efforts to end load shedding to proceed without putting undue risk on the country's grid infrastructure.
"While the department respects the independence of the courts, in this case, the department believes that the judgment would have unintended consequences and undermine the very efforts to balance the protection of the rights that were ventilated in this case, with the need to stabilise and protect our grid infrastructure," said Gordhan.
