South Africa could be declaring a national state of disaster over the energy crisis.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the party’s two-day National Executive Committee lekgotla backed such a move. The lekgotla wants the end of the crippling load shedding to be fast tracked, much earlier than two years given by the utility Eskom.

President Ramaphosa says government has already begun the process of establishing whether the legal requirements for such a declaration are met and what specific actions it would empower government to undertake to urgently resolve load shedding.

The national state disaster is expected to take a similar shape to government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The matter is expected to be further discussed at this week’s cabinet lekgotla which is being held in preparation for the upcoming State of the Nation Address.