South Africa declares 'state of disaster' over energy crisis

Braamfontein area of Johannesburg, South Africa, submerged in darkness because of a load-shedding rolling blackout on January 31, 2023. [AFP]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday declared a national "state of disaster" over his country's crippling power shortages, saying they posed an existential threat to the economy and social fabric.

"We are in the grip of a profound energy crisis," Ramaphosa said in his annual State of the Nation address to parliament. "The crisis has progressively evolved to affect every part of society. We must act to lessen the impact of the crisis on farmers, on small businesses, on our water infrastructure and our transport network."