The High Court in Pretoria ordered that all hospitals, clinics, schools and police stations be exempted from rolling blackouts.
Friday’s judgement states that Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan, must take all reasonable steps within 60 days to ensure there is sufficient electricity, generators and alternate energy supplies to prevent interruptions to the institutions.
The interim order comes after the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and others brought an application to the court highlighting the constitutional and legal obligations on the government to provide electricity.
The application emerged amid continuing rolling blackouts in South Africa.
The full bench concluded, in its judgement, that the applicants demonstrated that there have been infringements of fundamental Constitutional rights, brought about by failures of organs of state.
South Africans should brace themselves for more blackouts during winter
