Members of Parliament have accused Eskom of down-playing problems with the long-term supply of coal to its power stations.

Eskom and mining houses briefed parliament’s Public Enterprises committee on Thursday, insisting that coal supplies were sufficient for now.

Both the power utility and their suppliers assured MPs that plans were in place to ensure that there was enough coal to power Eskom’s plants over a longer period.

The committee’s chairperson Vytjie Mentor said she wanted proof.

“We do know that there is a problem. We don’t think there is a problem. We are giving them between now and March; to go and tabulate all those problems and meet with the mining houses and their coal suppliers and iron them out, and give us a report,” said Mentor.