Mbalula and Ramaphosa make load shedding promise

Durban - ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is the latest senior party leader to make promises that load shedding will end soon, saying that he was hopeful that the crisis could be resolved by the end of 2023.

Mbalula, speaking on the Power to Truth show with JJ Tabane, said government is on top of the power crisis and that blackouts will be a thing of the past by the end of December.

"What I know from where I'm seated, from the work that's been done by government and ministers and so on, the load shedding before the end of the year should've been something of the past.

"I can assure you that load shedding will be reversed and it will be dealt with decisively," Mbalula said during the interview on Wednesday.

Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a promise to business that government is working to end load shedding in the short term, while speaking at the fifth South Africa Investment Conference in Sandton, Johannesburg.

“The lack of reliability in electricity supply weakens business and consumer confidence taints international perceptions about our country and affects investment sentiment and decisions," the president said.

Government had solutions to address the crisis through its energy action plan, he said.

“As we work to close the electricity supply shortfall and end load shedding in the short term, we are laying the foundation for a fundamental reform of the energy sector in the longer term.

“Our immediate focus is on improving the performance of our existing coal-fired power stations as they continue to provide the base load of our energy,” Ramaphosa said.

THE MERCURY