In a night of high drama, with armed security services removing the EFF from the National Assembly, President Cyril Ramaphosa Ramaphosa announced a National State of Disaster for the energy crisis.
In a night of high drama, with armed security services removing the EFF from the National Assembly, President Cyril Ramaphosa Ramaphosa announced a National State of Disaster for the energy crisis.
The DA declared its support for the declaration of a State of Disaster to deal with the Eskom crisis as far back as May last year — only to turn around and reject it when President Cyril Ramaphosa embraced their idea.
President Cyril Ramaphosa tethered his administration to ending rolling blackouts in a State of the Nation debate reply on Thursday that also signalled the departure of Deputy President David ‘DD’ Mabuza from the government.
An electricity minister in the Presidency duplicates the responsibilities of ministers in a ‘bloated mega-Presidency’, according to IFP MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa, the chairperson of Parliament’s spending watchdog, Scopa. His comments came in the Sona parliamentary debate in which ANC speakers hailed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership.
While President Cyril Ramaphosa seems to be in a technically strong political position, there is a growing feeling he is still paralysed. Even though he may believe our energy crisis is a national disaster, he is yet to publish any real, concrete plan to improve the situation.
If any doubt existed that electioneering for the 2024 general election is well under way, Tuesday’s opening day of the State of the Nation Address debate debunked that. And it got nasty, with a good dose of apartheid-era referencing.
Why is it proving so difficult for South African banks and the government to lend money to small businesses in the country? It’s a curious question, but one which illustrates something of the character of business in SA.
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President Cyril Ramaphosa had barely completed his State of the Nation Address when the DA announced it was going to court over the declared National State of Disaster on energy. The presidential speech to underscore his administration is at work to fix the economy left the opposition unconvinced.
At President Cyril Ramaphosa’s seventh State of the Nation Address, there were shouts, points of order, chaos and underwhelming sartorial monotony.
The future ownership or shareholding of state-owned enterprises will be housed under one company instead of being fragmented through government departments. This is aimed at improving oversight of the state-owned enterprises.
They also demanded that the department of mineral resources allows Eskom to procure wholesale diesel to decrease rolling blackouts, that the government, businesses and individuals be held accountable for destroying Eskom, and that the proposed electricity tariff increase be scrapped.
Measures include involving the private sector to ensure the proper functioning of the 10111 call centres.
Talking of hope and action, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a National State of Disaster over rolling blackouts, with an electricity minister also on the cards. This unfolded after an unprecedented call for armed security forces to come into the House.
It’s a win-win for all involved. Businesses and households need to free themselves from the curse of Eskom, and the rise in productivity levels that comes with reliable energy will more than compensate the Treasury for the tax breaks that are looming.
‘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,’ said President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The EFF followed through with its plan to disrupt President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address on Thursday evening. This ended in clashes between the Red Berets and security personnel and their eventual removal from the City Hall chambers.
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his seventh State of the Nation Address on Thursday. The State of Disaster will enable us to provide practical measures that we need to take to support businesses in the food production, storage and retail supply chain, including for the roll-out of generators, solar panels and uninterrupted power supply.
Updates and analysis on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2023 State of the Nation Address.
The mood of the nation is desperate – after the ANC’s decades-long failure to address the country’s electricity, water, income and food challenges – and if the President were to announce a bold programme tonight it would be very difficult for anyone to believe him.
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