Declaring energy crisis a national state of disaster is ill-considered: DA

Democratic Alliance (DA) Leader, John Steenhuisen, says it was ill considered for President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare the electricity crisis a National State of Disaster.

Steenhuisen was reacting to Ramaphosa’s announcement that Co-operative Governance Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has already gazetted the state of disaster.

“Well, I think the big concern for us is the National State of Disaster. We believe that it is ill-considered. We saw the looting and maladministration that went on the last state of disaster. As long as the stupid regulations that have been passed left right and centre… that actually ended up harming the economy and killing job even more. We don’t  believe it’s necessary to have a national state of disaster to deal with an electricity problem.”

Meanwhile, The DA has also stated its intentions to challenge the state of disaster in court.

The DA is already in court to declare the Disaster Management Act unconstitutional and we will now do the same to prevent the ANC looting frenzy that will follow Ramaphosa’s dangerous and desperate announcement like night follows day. – @jsteenhuisen #SONA2023

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) February 9, 2023

In the report below, Ramaphosa says the State of Disaster will deal with the energy crisis: