Ramaphosa’s minister of electricity post raises ire with SA... ‘soon there will be a minister of potholes’

President Cyril Ramaphosa called a joint sitting of the NA and NCOP to deliver the 2023 State of the Nation Address. Picture: Phando Jikelo African News Agency (ANA)

President Cyril Ramaphosa called a joint sitting of the NA and NCOP to deliver the 2023 State of the Nation Address. Picture: Phando Jikelo African News Agency (ANA)

Published Feb 10, 2023

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Johannesburg - The announcement of a new minister of electricity at the 2023 State of the Nation Address, has raised the ire of many South Africans, who now wonder if there would be other a minister of potholes, service delivery and corruption too.

The announcement on Thursday night by President Cyril Ramaphosa has invoked wild and hilarious reactions from ordinary citizens.

The new minister will be expected to focus solely on the ongoing load shedding crisis, and has the tough job of ending the crisis.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement of the new post, which will be within the Presidency, during his address on Thursday evening.

“To deal more effectively and urgently with the challenges that confront us, I will appoint a minister of electricity in the Presidency to assume full responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the electricity crisis response, including the work of the National Energy Crisis Committee.

“The minister will focus full-time and work with the Eskom board and management on ending load shedding and ensuring that the Energy Action Plan is implemented without delay,” said Ramaphosa.

ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula quipped that the new minister must be ready to hit the ground running as he would be expected to eat, sleep and drink at Eskom.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who remains the Eskom shareholder, will still be expected to play his role within the power utility and will also be overseeing the energy transition programme.

“So as to remove any confusion, the minister of public enterprises will remain the shareholder representative of Eskom and steer the restructuring of Eskom, ensure the establishment of the transmission company, oversee the implementation of the just energy transition programme, and oversee the establishment of the SOE Holding Company,” said Ramaphosa.

Mbalula on Friday also compared the the minister of electricity to a “project manager” in dealing with the energy crisis in South Africa.

Social media users have weighed in with mixed reactions regarding the decision to add a new minister.

Twitter user @LudidiVelani said: “Two minsters responsible for Eskom, Pravin Gordhan and Gwede Mantashe. Two deputy ministers under these ministers. Eskom board. Eskom sustainability task team and the national energy crisis committee. Now there will be Electricity Minister 🤧”

#SONA2023 #SONA”

— Veve (@LudidiVelani) February 10, 2023

@MsakaWaLekhosi said: “We have the minister of water and now the ANC has given us the minister of electricity. Soon there’ll be a minister of potholes followed by a minister of unemployment. SONA 2023.”

— Msaka Wa Lekhosi (@MsakaWaLekhosi) February 9, 2023

@MmusiMaimane said: “So let me get this straight, the trip to Davos was cancelled, meetings were held for the whole of January and the best plan that all the President’s advisors, task teams and panels could come up with was #MinisterOfElectricity?”

— Engineer Matšhela Koko, MBL (@koko_matshela) February 10, 2023

— Dumi Gwebu Edits (@dumigwebu) February 9, 2023

— Man’s NOT Barry Roux  (@AdvoBarryRoux) February 10, 2023

And finally...

IOL