South Africa has been facing severe power issues for years and it has only worsened in recent months.
The country has had to schedule blackouts which have affected businesses and production.
Africa National Congress of South Africa called on the president to declare a national ‘state of disaster’.
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has aligned with the Congress, truly declaring a ‘state of disaster’ over the power crisis.
“We are in the grip of a profound energy crisis, the seed of which were planted many years ago,” the president said in his annual State of the Nation Address to the Parliament.
The serious power issues in the country are predicted to wipe out up to 2% of economic growth in the nation.
Following this, the president has come under severe pressure to provide a solution as households and businesses in South Africa are feeling the impact.
African National Congress Recommendation
At the end of January, the African Nation Congress of South Africa called for the declaration of a national state of disaster, iBrandTv reports.
“We shouldn’t be arrogant and deny the fact that we have a crisis,” secretary General of the Congress, Fikile Mbalula, had said at the time they made the request.
Also, the Congress believes the declaration of a national disaster would unlock funds and resources to “better manage the crisis”.
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Mbalula believes that the move would depend on the response of Ramaphosa’s administration towards ending the blackouts by the end of 2023.
What The Declaration Means
Bowing to pressure, Ramaphosa declaration would give the government additional powers to respond to the crisis.
Also, it would also enable emergency procurement.
According to reports, this situation will see to the enforcement of new regulations, the same way the nation tackled COVID-19 pandemic.
In line with this, the president has also promised to appoint an electricity minister to properly tackle the issue.
