In response to the energy crisis, South Africa sends the army to power plants

South Africa’s government has put soldiers at some of the country’s troubled power plants because of frequent blackouts, claims of sabotage, and corruption.

According to Vincent Magwenya, a spokesman for President Cyril Ramaphosa, soldiers have been stationed at four important power plants. He adds that more deployments will be disclosed in due course.

He applauded the government’s decision to send in the army in the wake of allegations of theft, sabotage, and vandalism at a number of Eskom-run plants.

The government will deal with days of misbehaviour and evil deeds, he said, calling the intervention “pleasant for Eskom.”

Andre de Ruyter, the company’s CEO, resigned just last week, citing, in part, the difficulties he had in trying to turn around Eskom in the face of crime and corruption.

READ ALSO: South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, might be removed from office because of “Farmgate”

South Africa’s energy crisis, which has been going on for more than ten years, has gotten worse this year. Now, the country often has blackouts that can last up to ten hours a day.

The cuts, which people in this country call “loadshedding,” are meant to make the system less stressed.

Eskom says that its old coal fleets and lack of maintenance are to blame for the frequent power outages, which have a big effect on Africa’s most developed economy.

South Africans are also getting more and more angry at the government, the African National Congress (ANC), for not being able to fix the electricity problem.

voting ANC delegates

At a party congress held in Johannesburg every five years, thousands of ANC delegates started voting on Sunday for the top seven membership posts in the party.

If the ANC wins the national elections in 2024, whoever wins the party presidency this weekend will go on to run the nation.

Zweli Mkhize, the former health minister who was forced to quit over corruption charges with COVID-19 funds, is competing with President Cyril Ramaphosa for the position.

Ramaphosa was recently involved in a scandal over the theft of a large amount of money that was found hidden in a couch on his farm.

Last week, his party came together to support him and stop a vote to remove him from office.

VOA