Pretoria - Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced on her Twitter page on Sunday that she has arrived in Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 53rd annual meeting which starts on Monday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has cancelled his planned trip to the WEF at the eleventh hour in a bid to address the ongoing energy crisis in South Africa, which has resulted in relentless load shedding and an outpouring of anger and frustration on social media platforms.
The news of Ramaphosa’s ditching Davos was broken by his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya on Twitter on Sunday evening.
Kubayi wrote: “We have arrived in Davos and will continue with the work led by Cde Enock as SA delegation. The work starts tomorrow. #SAinDavos2023.”
Scores of people reacted to Kubayi’s tweet, with some urging her to enjoy the “holiday”.
One user, @ModibaKlaas. reacted: “We don’t have electricity. Nersa has approved 32% of the electricity we don’t have then what are you and Enock doing there. Enjoy your holiday people”.
Another user, Zakhele, responded: “Enjoy lights that side, when our children are in the dark this side. You guys are a bunch of heartless people”.
Larry Seema reacted: “Waste of our money, no one there believe your nonsense”.
@gmalau wrote: “Who cars really. You can’t even spell Enoch”.
Another user, Sean Bee, responded: “Complete waste of taxpayers’ money. Bunch of clowns trying to convince the world to invest in a circus”.
On Sunday, Magwenya said Ramaphosa was currently convening a meeting with leaders of political parties represented in Parliament, the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECCOM) and the Eskom board to find solutions to the crippling power cuts.
“Due to the ongoing energy crisis, President Cyril Ramaphosa has cancelled his working visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos,” Magwenya said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has already engaged with the leadership of Eskom and NECCOM, and those meetings will continue. More briefing sessions to key stakeholders will take place during this coming week.”
Ramaphosa was supposed to lead a SA delegation of government ministers and captains of industry to the annual pilgrimage in Davos to plead South Africa’s case as an investment destination.
IOL