Energy crisis could be declared a national disaster

African National Congress (ANC) president Cyril Ramaphosa says the party’s Lekgotla has resolved to declare the country’s energy crisis a National State of Disaster.

He was speaking at the end of the governing party’s two-day NEC Lekgotla at Esselen Park, in Ekurhuleni, on Monday evening.

The meeting was also attended by former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe.

Work is already underway within government to establish whether the legal requirements for the declaration of a national state of disaster are met and what specific actions we would be empowered to undertake to urgently resolve #loadshedding.https://t.co/9b3Mqplv8E

— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) January 30, 2023

Ramaphosa says work is already underway within government “to establish whether the legal requirements for the declaration of a national state of disaster are met and what specific actions we would be empowered to undertake to urgently resolve load shedding.”

Currently, the country is on stage 4 load shedding and the system is still under pressure.

“This lekgotla has provided clear direction on what needs to be done to end the energy crisis as a matter of extreme urgency and to establish a firm foundation for energy security and sustainability into the future,” Ramaphosa explains.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa delivers NEC Lekgotla closing address:

Delivery Command Centre

Meanwhile, the ANC has also proposed the setting up of a Delivery Command Centre at its headquarters to monitor, ensure and fast-track service delivery across the country.

The country has been grappling with the provision of services with rubbish in some communities not being collected for days compounded by rolling blackouts.

Says ANC president, “This should package and monitor key deliverables on basic services such as water and sanitation, human settlements, roads and infrastructure maintenance.”

In his closing remarks to the NEC Lekgotla, president Ramaphosa says they want all ANC branches to submit progress reports on service delivery in their wards.

ANC NEC’s Lekgotla draws to a close: Fikile Mbalula