S Africa: Prez Cyril calls meet on electricity crisis, nationwide blackouts

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had an urgent meeting scheduled with his Cabinet on Wednesday to discuss the country’s electricity crisis, which has led to unprecedented levels of nationwide power blackouts in Africa’s most developed economy.

The troubled state-owned power utility Eskom, which produces about 95% of the country’s electricity, is implementing scheduled, rolling blackouts in an attempt to save electricity while struggling to keep its ageing and poorly maintained coal-fired power stations operational.

Ramaphosa returned home to chair the meeting with his ministers after attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London. He cancelled his trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.