EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu says the cancellation of the National State of Disaster on Electricity, with immediate effect, is a clear symptom of an imploding government.
On Wednesday, the Parliamentarian tweeted in response to the government’s announcement that it had terminated the National State of Disaster declared by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) on 9 February 2023.
“The National State of Disaster was declared as a measure to contain load shedding! It’s now cancelled with immediate effect and before load shedding is contained. This and the initial attempt to impose an irrational PFMA exemption on ESKOM are symptoms of an imploding government,” Shivambu wrote.
CoGTA said the National State of Disaster was a necessary response to the impact of critical levels of load shedding on the economy and vulnerable sectors such as health, transport and small businesses. However, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) initiated a legal challenge to stop the State of Disaster, questioning its rationality.
“Following the termination of the State of Disaster, all regulations and directions made in terms of Section 27(2) of the Act, under the declaration of the National State of Disaster to deal with the impact of the severe electricity supply constraint, are repealed with immediate effect,” the new CoGTA Minister Thembisile Nkadimeng confirmed.
Meanwhile, the Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, said the withdrawal will have no impact on the ministry’s work going forward.
He assured the country that “the withdrawal of the National State of Disaster will not stop government’s plans to procure new electricity generation – particularly from renewable energy sources.”
