DA André de Ruyter Eskom

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a State of Disaster. Image: Pixabay/ Eskom Facebook page

SONA 2023: What exactly does the State of Disaster entail?

The President has declared a State of Disaster on the current energy crises; we have a look at what exactly this would mean for the country

DA André de Ruyter Eskom

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a State of Disaster. Image: Pixabay/ Eskom Facebook page

In tonight’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a State of Disaster on the current energy crisis with immediate effect.

Many people are in the dark about what exactly this would mean for us as a country.

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What does the State of Disaster entail?

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has gazetted the declaration of the State of Disaster.

The state of disaster will allow the government to implement practical measures to support businesses in the food production, storage, and retail supply chain.

These measures will include deploying generators, solar panels, and uninterrupted power supply.

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The government aims to exempt critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and water treatment plants, from load shedding where technically feasible.

Additionally, the state of disaster will enable the acceleration of energy projects.

This while preserving strict environmental protections, procurement principles, and technical standards.

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Auditor general to be brought in

The President will appoint the Minister of Electricity in the Presidency to urgently handle the electricity crisis and its challenges.

The Minister will take full responsibility for monitoring all aspects of the response, including overseeing the National Energy Crisis Committee.

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They will work full-time with the Eskom board and management to end load shedding and promptly implement the Energy Action Plan.

The President will bring in the Auditor-General to continuously monitor expenditures and prevent any abuse of funds designated for disaster relief.

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