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Apr
20
2023
By The African Mirror
South Africa’s power outages could reach critical levels this winter – likely scenarios

South Africa’s power outages could reach critical levels this winter – likely scenarios

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS
OVER the past 15 years South Africa has been experiencing a gradually worsening number of electricity cuts. This state of affairs has prompted frustration among citizens, negative international economic sentiment and financial hardship for many businesses. Public pressure has grown more intense, leading to the extraordinary presidential decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to proclaim a state of disaster as well as to appoint a Minister of Electricity. Author HARTMUT WINKLER, Professor of Physics, University of Johannesburg The year 2022 was marked by the worst power outages in the country’s history. Electricity generation deficits reached up to 6 GW on occasion,…
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Apr
06
2023
By The African Mirror
SA Power Crisis: State of Disaster revoked

SA Power Crisis: State of Disaster revoked

NEWS
KOPANO GUMBI SOUTH Africa's government has revoked a national "state of disaster" declared in February to manage a crippling electricity crisis but said that some emergency measures would remain in place. The state of disaster gave the government additional powers to respond to the crisis, including by permitting emergency procurement procedures with fewer bureaucratic delays and less oversight. The government will now work to reduce the impact of power cuts using existing legislation and contingency arrangements, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Thembi Nkadimeng said in a statement. The newly appointed electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said some crisis measures would…
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Feb
22
2023
By CARIEN DU PLESSIS
South African cities scramble to keep the lights on

South African cities scramble to keep the lights on

NEWS
REELING from South Africa's worst-ever electricity crisis, local authorities across the country are turning to private suppliers to help businesses and households keep the lights on. President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a state of disaster over the energy crunch, which is seen wiping as much as 2 percentage points off economic growth this year. With South Africans spending up to 10 hours a day without electricity due to rolling blackouts by struggling state utility Eskom, the tourist city of Cape Town aims to halve power cuts for its residents by 2026, its executive director for energy Kadri Nassiep said. Officials plan to procure up…
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Feb
17
2023
By The African Mirror
South Africa’s Ramaphosa defends electricity minister appointment

South Africa’s Ramaphosa defends electricity minister appointment

NEWS
SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended his decision to appoint a minister to try to end crippling power cuts, rejecting criticism the role would cause confusion in government. State utility Eskom is implementing the worst power outages on record, constraining the country's economic growth prospects. That prompted Ramaphosa to declare a "state of disaster" and said he would appoint a new Minister of Electricity last week. Some lawmakers said the appointment would add a layer of bureaucracy as Eskom is overseen by the public enterprises minister while the energy minister is responsible for procuring additional power generation capacity. Ramaphosa told parliament some…
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Feb
12
2023
By CARIEN DU PLESSIS and KOPANO GUMBI
How will South Africa’s ‘state of disaster’ resolve power crisis?

How will South Africa’s ‘state of disaster’ resolve power crisis?

NEWS
SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster to fight a paralyzing power crisis that in recent months has included daily rolling power cuts. What does this mean and how might it resolve a crisis that has been years in the making? WHAT IS A NATIONAL STATE OF DISASTER? The president has the power under the 2002 National Disaster Management Act to declare a crisis a National State of Disaster if existing legislation cannot adequately deal with the problem. This gives the government powers to release available resources to tackle the disaster, appoint people to render emergency services and…
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Feb
10
2023
By WENDELL ROELF and CARIEN DU PLESSIS
South Africa declares ‘state of disaster’ over energy crisis

South Africa declares ‘state of disaster’ over energy crisis

NEWS
SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national "state of disaster" over his country's crippling power shortages, saying they posed an existential threat to the economy and social fabric. "We are in the grip of a profound energy crisis," Ramaphosa said in his annual State of the Nation Address to parliament. "The crisis has progressively evolved to affect every part of society. We must act to lessen the impact of the crisis on farmers, on small businesses, on our water infrastructure and our transport network." State electricity utility Eskom is implementing the worst rolling blackouts on record, leaving households in…
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Apr
12
2022
By The African Mirror
South Africa has lifted most COVID-19 restrictions. But risks remain

South Africa has lifted most COVID-19 restrictions. But risks remain

COVID-19
IN early April South Africa ended most of the mandatory measures it put in place to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The country terminated its “state of disaster” and moved to a transitional phase. For 30 days certain measures will remain in place. These include wearing face masks in indoor public spaces, restrictions on gatherings as well as proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test for people travelling to the country. To find out more about the implication of this decision and the reasoning behind it, The Conversation Africa’s Ina Skosana spoke to Harsha Somaroo, who has been supporting…
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Apr
04
2022
By The African Mirror
SA lifts Covid-19 state of disaster restrictions

SA lifts Covid-19 state of disaster restrictions

COVID-19
AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER LOW Covid-19 infections, few deaths and admissions to hospitals were some of the reasons behind the South African government’s decision to end the state of disaster of 750 days. The government imposed it on March 15, 2020 in response to the outbreak of Covid-19 which has killed close to 100 000 South Africans and infected millions. SA President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the state of disaster will be replaced by soon-to-be-promulgated health regulations. He said: “The end of the National State of Disaster also means that the Coronavirus Alert Levels will no longer apply. The few transitional…
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Mar
22
2022
By The African Mirror
SA lifts curbs, cautions Covid-19 is not over

SA lifts curbs, cautions Covid-19 is not over

COVID-19
AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER BUOYED by low infection rates and better management of the pandemic, South Africa has announced the end of the state of disaster and a significant relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions on social and economic activity. SA President Cyril Ramaphosa said the state of disaster, which was imposed with the onset of COVID-19, would be replaced by health regulations designed to help South Africans live with the pandemic. Ramaphosa announced the following changes: Masks should only be worn indoors. In office, shops and public transport.Both indoor and outdoor venues can now take up to 50 percent of their capacity…
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