Calls for Ramaphosa to step down increase amid stage six load-shedding

President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing increased calls to quit after the Eskom board announced that it was not in a position to resolve South Africa’s electricity crisis within the next 24 months.

The utility’s inability to generate adequate electricity has plunged the country into stage six load-shedding, leaving households and businesses without power for up to eight hours a day.

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said Ramaphosa “must step down immediately and the people of South Africa must come up with a solution to the Eskom crisis”.

“There are people in South Africa who have previously stopped load-shedding and brought South Africa into energy stability,” Malema said. The current Eskom board and the outgoing CEO had previously stated that even “within 24 months, there is no guarantee that the available energy factor will be restored above 60% of South Africa’s generation capacity”, Malema said after an urgent parliamentary virtual meeting on the energy crisis.