Umamah Bakharia | ub@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
10 February 2023 | 19:15 CAT

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the energy crisis a nation state of disaster during his 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA) while also announcing the appointment of an electricity minister.

President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Picture: News24

Speaking on Thursday, Ramaphosa said a national state of disaster would take immediate effect, and a minister of electricity in the presidency would be appointed soon.

“The energy crisis is an existential threat to our economy and social fabric. We must spare no effort, and we must allow no delay, in implementing these measures,” said the president.

The minister would work with Eskom to ensure the Energy Action Plan was implemented immediately.

While government ministers showed support for the presidents announcement, opposition parties rejected Ramaphosa’s solutions to South Africa’s failing electricity crisis.

“I think South Africans have PTSD from the last time there was a state of disaster to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, where we saw essentially a looting frenzy because of course now procurement processes were allowed to be subverted and the like,” said DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube.

In his speech Ramaphosa says the state of disaster will exempt critical infrastructure including hospitals and water treatment plants from rolling blackouts.

Meanwhile, Eskom has declined to comment on the creation of a new government department for electricity.