South Africa lifts state of disaster on electricity

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – The South African Government on Wednesday terminated the State of Disaster it implemented just two months ago to deal with the country’s rolling power blackouts energy crisis.

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thembi Nkadimeng said “all regulations and directions made in terms of section 27(2) of the National Disaster Act is repealed with immediate effect”.

Government said that the state of disaster was a "necessary response" due to the critical levels of load shedding which was impacting the economy and vulnerable sectors like health and small businesses. It noted that after the state of disaster was declared, a range of regulations were put in place to support the Energy Action Plan and ensure an integrated response across government.

"The state of disaster enabled government to enhance interventions by the National Energy Crisis Committee in terms of the Energy Action Plan," it said in a statement received by PANA.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) launched a legal challenge shortly after the State of Disaster was declared to have it reviewed as the organisation believed it was "irrational, arbitrary and unlawful".

OUTA said it will withdraw its court application with immediate effect.

-0- PANA CU 5Apr2023