- President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government was working hard to end the load reduction crisis.
- Ramaphosa was delivering his New Year message to South Africans just as Eskom announced the failure of five generating units overnight.
- Ramaphosa called 2022 a difficult year in which South Africans were forced to deal with rising cost of living and an energy crisis.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government was working hard to end the cargo loss crisis plaguing the country.
Ramaphosa was delivering his New Year message to South Africans at the same time Eskom announced a failure of five generating units overnight, forcing the power company to implement stage two load shedding until further notice.
“We are undertaking reforms in the operation of our ports and railways and in our telecommunications, water and electricity sectors. We are working hard to end the load shedding crisis. We are increasing the amount of renewable energy on the grid.
“The benefits of this work may not be felt immediately, but we should hope that these efforts will steadily reduce the need for load shedding until it is no longer necessary,” the president said.
Ramaphosa said that just as the new year is a time for a fresh start in the life of the people, it should also be a time for the life of the nation.
ESKOM LIVE | Stage two cargo shedding will continue on Saturday after the breakdowns
“South Africans want our country’s electricity challenges resolved. They want tougher action against corruption. They want to lead a dignified life and have jobs. They want to live in safety, freedom and peace. We must take advantage of the important work that been done this past year to determine our actions in the next,” he said.
Ramaphosa called 2022 a difficult year in which South Africans were forced to deal with rising cost of living and an energy crisis.
“We have also been affected by the loss of loved ones in a series of tragedies,” he said.
There have been devastating and tragic events that have destroyed both lives and livelihoods. These events have included floods, fatal vehicle accidents, deaths in taverns, dam wall collapses, drownings, fires in informal settlements and, most recently, the horrific explosion of a fuel tanker truck in Boksburg in Gauteng that killed at least 34 people.
Ramaphosa also recognized the families of the young men who had lost their lives during the summer initiation season. “Turn what was meant to be a time of joy and celebration into a time of sadness.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all the grieving families,” he said.
On corruption, Ramaphosa said that there have been milestones in the fight against corruption.
“The State Catch Commission delivered its final report and the government has established a plan for the implementation of its recommendations.
“There have been several arrests, prosecutions and convictions in corruption and state capture related cases, and state companies such as Eskom and Transnet have recovered significant amounts of stolen funds,” it said.
