Load shedding the ANC govt’s ‘Achilles heel’- Mbalula

Mbalula addressed the issue during an interview on the BBC’s HARDtalk program on Tuesday night.

His admission comes as South Africa experiences load shedding of up to 10 hours a day.

"We have given government and all our ministers that, not even before the end of the year, everything must be done to do away with load shedding. That's what we have said and if that, in terms of our projection, could happen before the end of the year, we are happy about that,” said Mbalula.

Mbalula said load shedding has made a mess of the country.

"This load shedding…has projected us as something else. We are focused on dealing with it, it is an Achilles heel and I can't tell you tonight or anytime that this is an easy matter for our government. Surely after Covid-19 this is the biggest challenge that has faced us internally in our country.”

Mbalula also acknowledged that is certain things are not resolved South Africa could become a failed state.

"It will affect the fortunes of the ANC to register an outright majority (during next year’s general elections) if ever it is not dealt with decisively, but it will not take the ANC totally out of power.

"South Africa is undergoing challenges, like many other countries, but to put us into a category of a failed state is an exaggeration. We may not be too defensive to that, if some things are not resolved we will become a failed state."

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