Malema hits back at Mboweni, says Eskom will never be a 'tired story'

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni was true to his word and didn’t say much about Eskom in his speech but did announce that government would allocate R230 billion over ten years to restructure the sector.

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), speaks to members of the media after the EFF disrupted the State of the Nation Address and then decided to leave before South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his address, at the opening of the South African Parliament in Cape Town on 13 February 2020. Picture: AFP

Babalo Ndenze | 36 days ago

CAPE TOWN - State-owned entities remain the burning issue even after Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s Budget Speech on Wednesday.

While Mboweni didn’t spend too much time on SOEs, he did mention Eskom and SAA, albeit briefly.

*Budget 2020: Finance Minister Mboweni's full speech

Mboweni went as far as saying that the Eskom issue had become tired, angering MPs like EFF leader Julius Malema.

"We do not want to talk alot about Eskom in this Budget Speech as the Eskom story is a bit tired now."

Malema responded sharply, saying that Eskom would never be a "tired" issue as long there was load shedding.

"For as long as there is load shedding in this country, Eskom will never be a tired issue and the independent power producers will never be a tired issue."

Mboweni was true to his word and didn’t say much about Eskom in his speech but did announce that government would allocate R230 billion over ten years to restructure the sector.

He said the current electricity shortfall would ease once Eskom finished critical maintenance.

WATCH: All the ups and down of the Budget Speech 2020

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Malema hits back at Mboweni, says Eskom will never be a 'tired story'

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