National state of disaster over energy crisis on the cards
Frequent blackouts are crippling the economy
30 January 2023 - 20:12
UPDATED 30 January 2023 - 22:40
by Thando Maeko
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
President Cyril Ramaphosa. File photo: Sebabatso Mosamo
The ANC and its alliance partners have recommended that a national state of disaster be declared over the energy crisis to ensure that sufficient financial resources are allocated to end load-shedding.
This would be similar to the state of disaster declared by the government during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when a handful of men and women in the national coronavirus command council wielded sweeping powers that included dipping into departmental budgets to provide a soft landing for pandemic-hit businesses and individuals.
The recommendation follows calls by, among others, small businesses, the DA, the National Planning Commission, and the agriculture sector, who have said a state of disaster would give the government wide-ranging powers to intervene in the nation’s worsening energy crisis.
Speaking on the final day of the ANC lekgotla on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said work was under way in the government to ascertain whether the requirements for the declaration of the state of disaster could be met.
The possible declaration will be discussed at Wednesday’s cabinet lekgotla, he said.
“It was observed that it would be necessary to have a national disaster because that would enable us to have the instruments that would be necessary to fully address the challenge that our nation faces,” Ramaphosa told delegates during his closing address at the lekgotla.
“This lekgotla has agreed that the co-ordination of our response also needs to be escalated to the most senior levels of government and that we need to communicate more clearly and the message should be a singular message so that there is no confusion among our people.”
The recommendation from the ANC, Cosatu and SACP comes about six months after Ramaphosa rejected the idea in favour of the so-called energy action plan, the biggest feature of which was to open the door wide open for private sector energy generation.
The DA tentatively welcomed the ANC recommendation with MP Ghaleb Cachalia, who speaks on public enterprises issues, saying any declaration of the state of disaster should be ring-fenced around Eskom and the electricity sector.
“Most importantly, such a declaration must be tabled in parliament in order to ensure that there is full accountability,” said Kevin Mileham, DA public enterprises shadow minister.
“The immediate outcome of a ring-fenced state of disaster is that it will enable the government to bypass its own self-imposed obstacles, bottlenecks and cost inflations in the form of unworkable labour legislation, localisation requirements, cadre deployment, and preferential procurement,” he said.
Meanwhile, Eskom told its debt investors in a Sens notice on Monday that the delay in releasing its annual statements — which were made public on December 23 2022 — has resulted in a delay in finalising its interim results for the period to September 30 2022. It said the interims are expected to be released by March31.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LEKGOTLA
National state of disaster over energy crisis on the cards
Frequent blackouts are crippling the economy
The ANC and its alliance partners have recommended that a national state of disaster be declared over the energy crisis to ensure that sufficient financial resources are allocated to end load-shedding.
This would be similar to the state of disaster declared by the government during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when a handful of men and women in the national coronavirus command council wielded sweeping powers that included dipping into departmental budgets to provide a soft landing for pandemic-hit businesses and individuals.
The recommendation follows calls by, among others, small businesses, the DA, the National Planning Commission, and the agriculture sector, who have said a state of disaster would give the government wide-ranging powers to intervene in the nation’s worsening energy crisis.
Speaking on the final day of the ANC lekgotla on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said work was under way in the government to ascertain whether the requirements for the declaration of the state of disaster could be met.
The possible declaration will be discussed at Wednesday’s cabinet lekgotla, he said.
“It was observed that it would be necessary to have a national disaster because that would enable us to have the instruments that would be necessary to fully address the challenge that our nation faces,” Ramaphosa told delegates during his closing address at the lekgotla.
ANC says load-shedding could lead to increased civil unrest
“This lekgotla has agreed that the co-ordination of our response also needs to be escalated to the most senior levels of government and that we need to communicate more clearly and the message should be a singular message so that there is no confusion among our people.”
The recommendation from the ANC, Cosatu and SACP comes about six months after Ramaphosa rejected the idea in favour of the so-called energy action plan, the biggest feature of which was to open the door wide open for private sector energy generation.
The DA tentatively welcomed the ANC recommendation with MP Ghaleb Cachalia, who speaks on public enterprises issues, saying any declaration of the state of disaster should be ring-fenced around Eskom and the electricity sector.
“Most importantly, such a declaration must be tabled in parliament in order to ensure that there is full accountability,” said Kevin Mileham, DA public enterprises shadow minister.
“The immediate outcome of a ring-fenced state of disaster is that it will enable the government to bypass its own self-imposed obstacles, bottlenecks and cost inflations in the form of unworkable labour legislation, localisation requirements, cadre deployment, and preferential procurement,” he said.
Meanwhile, Eskom told its debt investors in a Sens notice on Monday that the delay in releasing its annual statements — which were made public on December 23 2022 — has resulted in a delay in finalising its interim results for the period to September 30 2022. It said the interims are expected to be released by March 31.
maekot@businesslive.co.za
MORE:
Winde calls for meeting with Ramaphosa over energy crisis
Power cuts impede irrigation and cold storage of agricultural products for export
‘Plug in private sector power’
SA’s funding partners want to see rapid action on just transition
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
ANC says load-shedding could lead to increased civil unrest
POLITICAL WEEK AHEAD: Cabinet lekgotla will lay groundwork for Ramaphosa’s ...
Ramaphosa expected to announce emergency energy intervention plan soon
Government considers measures to help cushion the poor from rising energy costs
Winde calls for meeting with Ramaphosa over energy crisis
Ending load-shedding is SA’s most pressing challenge, says Ramaphosa
BUSISIWE MAVUSO: Ramaphosa should use strong mandate to root out crime and graft
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.