Last night, during SONA, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the electricity crisis would be declared a state of disaster with immediate effect. He further announced that he would appoint a minister to deal with electricity issues in the presidency.The last state of disaster was during the Corona virus pandemic.
PREVENTING A TOTAL BLACK OUT
The head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) Dr Elias Sithole, in agreement with Cooperate Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Dr Nkosasana Dlamini-Zuma declared the country's energy crisis a state of disaster via government gazette last night. Dr Sithole said after in depth consultations with key national sector departments and disaster management centres, they concluded that severe electricity supply constraints have put the country in a state of disaster. "Emanating from the classification of this occurrence as a national disaster, in terms of section 26, read with section 23 of the Act, the primary responsibility to coordinate and manage the disaster, in terms of existing legislation and contingency arrangements, is designated to the National Executive," said Sithole.
?
NEC MUST TAKE ACTION
Dr Sithole urged organs of the state to further strengthen and support existing structures established to coordinate and manage the implementation of contingency arrangements in line with the National Energy Action Plan. "This is to ensure that measures are put in place to enable the National Executive to effectively deal with the effects of this disaster and prevent the escalation of the severe electricity supply constraint to a total blackout," he explained.
The Minister of COGTA highlighted the importance of this decision and that it is in the interest of the public to deal with the power crisis urgently. This is in order to
1. Assist and protect the public.
2. Provide relief to the public
3.Protecting property
4.Preventing or combating disruption.
5.Or dealing with the disruptive nature and other effects of the disaster.
A VALID DECISION?
Dr Dlamini-Zuma received backlash over the decisions she made during the Covid-19 pandemic. She became the least favourite of the country especially after she insisted on the pro longing in the ban of alcohol and cigarettes. Her disaster management skills were questioned and reduced to be scientifically unfounded claims which compromised her credibility.
