President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national State of Disaster – with immediate effect – as a response to the current energy crisis gripping the country.

Eskom has been battling to keep the lights on for the past few months, leading to increased stages of load shedding and a devastating impact on lives, livelihoods and businesses.

The President announced the State of Disaster during the State of the Nation Address at Cape Town City Hall, on Thursday evening.

“In a time of crisis, we need a single point of command and a single line of march. Just as we address the cause of the crisis, we also need to address its impact. 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, on our transport network and a number of other areas and facilities that affect our people’s lives.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national State of Disaster – with immediate effect – as a response to the current energy crisis gripping the country.

Eskom has been battling to keep the lights on for the past few months, leading to increased stages of load shedding and a devastating impact on lives, livelihoods and businesses.

The President announced the State of Disaster during the State of the Nation Address at Cape Town City Hall, on Thursday evening.

“In a time of crisis, we need a single point of command and a single line of march. Just as we address the cause of the crisis, we also need to address its impact. 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, on our transport network and a number of other areas and facilities that affect our people’s lives.

“In considering all these matters and the crisis that we are in, the National Disaster Management Centre has consequently classified the energy crisis and its impact as a national disaster. We are therefore declaring a national state of disaster to respond to the electricity crisis and its effects,” President Ramapohosa said.

The President stressed that the debilitating energy shortage in which the country finds itself requires government to move with increased urgency.

“Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures. The energy crisis is an existential threat to our economy and social fabric. We must spare no effort, and we must allow no delay, in implementing these measures,” he said.

The President explained that the declaration will enable government to “provide practical measures” to assist businesses that have been devastated by the effects of load shedding.

SOURCE : allAfrica