South Africa Ends State of Disaster Over Power Cuts
South Africa has scrapped the national “state of disaster” declared in February to tackle its brutal electricity crisis. The blackout chaos was sparked by Eskom’s failing coal-fired power stations and years of corruption, leading to daily rolling blackouts that hammered homes and businesses.
Disaster Rules Gave Government Emergency Powers – But Not Everyone Agreed
President Cyril Ramaphosa invoked disaster regulations on February 9 to speed up emergency measures, allowing quicker procurement and cutting bureaucratic red tape. But critics weren’t convinced. Anti-corruption group OUTA took the government to court, arguing these powers could fuel corruption and that existing laws were enough to manage the crisis.
Electricity Minister Takes Charge, Crisis Committee Steps In
In recent weeks, new Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa toured Eskom’s failing plants and held talks with officials to hunt for solutions. The government has now handed responsibility back to its Energy Crisis Committee. They’ll use current laws and contingency plans to ease power cuts going forward.
CoGTA Minister Confirms Disaster Status Revoked
Thembi Nkadimeng, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, confirmed the move: “The government will now work through its Energy Crisis Committee to reduce the effect of power cuts using existing legislation and contingency arrangements.” Crisis mode officially over, but the struggle to keep the lights on continues.
