Why is South Africa facing its ‘worst ever’ power crisis? - BBC News

South Africa is facing the prospect of its worst-ever power cuts - up to 16 hours a day – as it approaches the southern hemisphere winter.

The roots of the problem lie in poor management, corruption and sabotage, a BBC investigation has found.

There are fears it could lead to major civil unrest.

Meanwhile, there is an international effort to move the country off coal and towards renewables.

#SouthAfrica #BBCNews

[deanoclothier]

SA is facing this problem because of the ANC mismanaging every aspect of governance, due to incompetence, ineptitude, corruption and a blatant lack of political will to fix it!

[samcrick]

Sad day for Africa when one of the most developed countries in the content is showing these levels of corruption and criminality. Greed has led them here. I fear it could get nasty.

[ArnoSnyman]

This is South Africa's actual problem. We have an Ineptocracy, not a Democracy:
"Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers."

Furthermore, the people who are at the top will not even pass the second grade, but for some reason they are great at looting the state coffers dry.

[meganchoi]

Q: Why is South Africa facing its ‘worst ever’ power crisis?
A: ANC et al & those who continue to vote for them.

[Fishstycz]

The power crisis is not only a shortage of electricity, it's also a shortage of leadership. The ANC "liberators" have looted the fiscus to the point of no return. We need a new government.

[harouchr]

Poverty does not cause crime, crime causes poverty. South Africa will join so many other African countries in becoming a failed state. Sad

[xena]

So it's corruption and criminal gangs.

[Fishstycz]

Gwede Mantashe... A shining beacon of ineptitude in the upper echelons of power... Damn right we have a crisis.

[gazg]

Simple greed, cadre deployment, nepotism, theft, Affirmative Action policies and incompetence. Need any more reasons?

[christokapp]

We were warned 30 years ago that this will happen and we just had to look at the rest of Africa so we should not act surprised. It will still get a lot worse before it will get better. The rot is at the core of the government and the damage will take years to fix if ever.

[politelyimpolite]

The sad reality is that this was predicted over a decade ago by energy experts and the state simply refused to do anything about it.

What a tragedy for my home country. Hopefully we will see the light in some 2-5 years.

[AS-o]

People in Africa need to rise against corruption!!! You can’t always blame the West for your misfortune. At this point it’s your own fault and China or ruZzia won’t help you either!

[solschwarz]

May I say it?
South Africa has been gradually deteriorating since apartheid was abolished. I have family there and it's a sorry state

[chriswaters]

From the world’s first heart transplant to being so incompetent that electricity is a challenge.

[chrundlethegreat]

I never dreamed of leaving until about November of last year. I'm done. Vote every opportunity with not a single positive change. You have no idea how defeated we as South Africans feel. We're essentially hopelessly f'cked

[beverleyvrieling]

Last person to leave, you dont have to ", switch the lights off", they will go off on its own.

[paololuckyluke]

While very few people would dispute the fact apartheid is in itself a bad thing, it remains true that none of this happened back then, and that in this respect the country not only hasn’t progressed these past thirty years, but has actually deteriorated significantly, or should I say horribly, since it has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world.

[gemi]

It is because of black economic empowerment, all the skilled people left the country.

[aeliusromanus]

C'mon, did everyone expect otherwise? Really?😂😂😂

[B-udcf]

Office bearers have mismanaged, looted & neglected all systems in SA. It's rotting everywhere