Blackouts are an attack on SA, Naledi Pandor says

Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s foreign minister, questioned the repeated breakdown of power plants and said they could be seen as an attack on the country.

The national power utility yesterday said there had been breakdowns at 11 units at eight power plants, meaning that South Africans are currently suffering power outages of as long as 10 hours a day.

It can be seen as “an oppositional act against South Africa.com,” she told business executives at an event on Thursday in Johannesburg.

Pandor’s comments echo those of Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who said last month that the utility, Eskom, appeared to be trying to overthrow the government.