CAPE TOWN – Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has said the government is not considering declaring a national state of emergency to respond to the electricity crisis.
Minister Gordhan said this while responding to a question from the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.
Gordhan said there was no need to declare a national disaster to help Eskom and the country to navigate the current energy supply crisis.
Minister Gordhan urged Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Ghaleb Cachalia to distinguish between a state of disaster and an emergency in the power system.
“The government has not considered declaring a state of emergency in response to the energy challenges we face.”
Gordhan said the latest report from the state capture investigation confirmed that the Gupta family targeted Eskom to siphon off their assets to enrich themselves and others.
“Since March 2018, Eskom’s government, board and management have worked diligently to restore good governance, operational stability and financial viability to Eskom.”
