The ANC wants a state of national disaster to be declared over South Africa’s energy crisis, with the presidency coordinating an emergency program to “ensure that the energy crisis is adequately addressed.”
The party’s two-day national executive committee (NEC) met ahead of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and an impending cabinet reshuffle, agreed the country needed to “move in that direction” to shorten the time needed to address the dilemma electricity generation faces.
Debates over the need for such a move have been raging in government and business circles since mid-last year and have gained momentum as the crisis worsens, with South Africa in a permanent stage four load reduction state at the time. of writing this article.
The lekgotla had discussed the emergency power plan and proposals for Eskom and other state entities to move from public companies to the minerals and energy ministry and other line departments.
The decision would allow Eskom to shorten normal procurement procedures which, if properly managed, could reduce the amount of time the state power utility needs for maintenance and renewal.
In his closing speech, President Cyril Ramaphosa said there had been discussion about declaring a state of national disaster, as was done during the Covid-19 pandemic, and there was “general agreement” that this was a necessary step. .
He said that the meeting agreed that the energy crisis is a threat to national security, the economy and the sovereignty of the country.
The NEC wanted the presidency to “coordinate all processes” to speed up responses and shorten the estimated 18 months to two years that Eskom believes will be needed to bring its fleet of power plants to a fully operational state.
Work was already underway to analyze the legal framework for such a move and what steps could be taken under a state of disaster to meet “the challenge facing our nation.”
Ramaphosa said that during consultations with the government, various actors, from companies to unions to traditional leaders, expressed the need for a state of disaster and the use of extraordinary powers.
The lekgotla believed that a coordinated response, similar to the one the government had adopted in reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic, would “ensure that the energy crisis is adequately addressed.”
The government and the ANC must respond to the crisis with clear and coordinated messages about the state’s emergency power plan and the steps being taken to address it to avoid “confusion” about what was being done to stop the reduction of load.
Social partners need to be mobilized around the energy plan, which must be approached with a “new impetus” and must take into account proposals from civil society, business and unions as it is implemented, Ramaphosa said.
He said that the matter would be discussed in the lekgotla cabinet and given serious and urgent attention in the government process.
“It is a matter that must be addressed and resolved without delay,” Ramaphosa said.
