SA’s electricity crisis | Call for South Africans to be patient

JOHANNESBURG - The Presidency has defended President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to place the country in a National State of Disaster to deal with the energy crisis.

But it's still unclear when an Electricity Minister will be appointed or when the anticipated cabinet reshuffle will take place.

READ: SA's Electricity Crisis | South Africans have had enough - Mlambo-Ngcuka

The President's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says plans to get the country out of the darkness will be announced soon.

"The president appreciates the urgency in which he needs to finalise the cabinet appointments and he appreciates the urgency in which he needs to appoint the minister of electricity with respect to the kind of crisis we are facing," Magwenya said.

Rudy Dicks from the Presidency says the aim is to improve plant performance and get enough megawatts onto the grids.

READ: Ramaphosa responds to criticism of electricity minister

"Those two things are critical for us to do," Dicks said.

"Plant performance is critical for us to say that for us as government we are not intending on replacing or interfering on the operational governance or managerial of Eskom."

* eNCA’s Heidi Giokos reports.