(Cape Town) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of national disaster on Thursday evening in an attempt to stem the deep electricity crisis that is undermining the daily life and economy of the continent’s leading industrial power.
For months, 60 million South Africans have been forced to cook, wash clothes and charge their phones at certain times of the day only. The country lacks electricity and rations it by imposing scheduled cuts. These load shedding lasted up to almost 12 noon on some days, the shortage having worsened since last year.
“We are declaring a state of national disaster to respond to the electricity crisis and its aftermath,” with immediate effect, Mr Ramaphosa, 70, said from Cape Town City Hall where he gave his speech Annual Report on the State of the Nation.
“In extraordinary circumstances, extraordinary measures,” he continued. “In the immediate term, the task consists in significantly reducing the intensity of load shedding in the months to come in order to put an end to it in the long term”.
The state of disaster mainly makes it possible to release exceptional funds. The ruling party (ANC, African National Congress) said last week that it had given “clear instructions” and called on the government to adopt this provision.
Aid to companies, particularly in the food sector, particularly affected by the crisis, will be released, announced the Head of State. Hospitals and sewage treatment plants will be spared the cuts if possible. A minister of electricity attached to the presidency must be appointed.
” A threat ”
The state of disaster also aims to appease a growing anger that has taken to the streets in recent weeks with demonstrations against power cuts in several cities, at the call of the opposition and unions.
Again on Thursday, several hundred demonstrators were gathered in Cape Town, in a difficult economic and social context: unemployment peaks at 32.9%, growth forecasts for this year are almost nil (0.3%) and the increase in cost of living continues under the effect of persistent inflation.
“The crisis has gradually evolved to affect all layers of society” becoming “a threat to our economy and our social fabric”, warned Mr. Ramaphosa.
This electricity crisis largely adds to the stigma of the era of corruption under the presidency of Jacob Zuma (2009-2018). The coffers of the public electricity company Eskom have been one of the main targets of the organized looting of state resources.
Today, the company that produces 90% of the electricity consumed in the country is gripped by a debt of nearly 21 billion euros (400 billion rand), which the government is trying to absorb, and debate with aging coal-fired power plants regularly plagued by breakdowns.
South Africa, still largely dependent on fossil fuels, is also struggling to embark on a transition to clean energies. A $98 billion investment plan was endorsed by rich countries last year at COP27 as part of a “just transition” agreement.
Politically, Cyril Ramaphosa is also going through a delicate period. Thursday evening in Cape Town, he was interrupted several times at the start of his speech, in a tense atmosphere.
Members of the radical left-wing EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) party rushed to the podium where he was standing, suspending the ceremony; they were excluded from the room. The leaders of the movement had sworn not to let the “delinquent” president speak.
Mired in a dirty money affair for which a police investigation is ongoing, Mr Ramaphosa, 70, escaped impeachment proceedings in December, supported by the ANC. The historic party immediately re-elected him as head of state, guaranteeing him a second term as head of state in the event of the ANC’s victory in the general elections of 2024.