Government has failed to take sufficient steps to prevent load shedding.

This is the assertion by Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi. He representing several political parties and unions in a case against Eskom and the state over the rolling blackouts.

Ngcukaitobi’s comments were made in his opening arguments before a full bench of the court at the start of the hearing. Political parties and unions wants the court to declare government’s response load shedding unconstitutional.

They say the unprecedented power cuts violated fundamental human rights. Advocate Ngcukaitobi argued that government knew from as early as 1999 that the energy crisis was looming, citing a white paper that warned speedy intervention was needed to avert the energy crisis.