Riots, unrest and other forms of social protests in South Africa, are on the horizon, according to Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and a number of other prominent business leaders.
According to Ntshavheni, the high levels of load-shedding and unemployment pose threats to the country’s national security.
The previous week, when she was presenting the budget for the State Security Agency to the National Assembly, she made these remarks.
She stated that frequent load-shedding at high stages has a significant negative impact on the economy as well as on initiatives undertaken by the government to advance the agenda for development.
Social protests in South Africa
Communities that are “vulnerable to mobilisation against the government by elements with nefarious agendas” are more likely to experience social and political unrest as a result of these factors, which can lead to an unstable environment.
According to Ntshavheni, the lackluster performance of Eskom “represents a significant risk to the economic stability of this country.”
Her warning is consistent with that of economists and business leaders who are concerned about the increased likelihood of social unrest and riots as a result of load-shedding.
Food shortages
The chairman of Pick n Pay, Gareth Ackerman, recently stated that the entire food industry in South Africa is facing an existential threat as a result of load-shedding and the inaction of the government.
As a result, “the likelihood of social instability due to food shortages and possible store closures has now increased,” he explained. “If blackouts get to be too frequent, this will happen.”
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The Chief Executive Officer of Pick n Pay, Pieter Boone Boone, has warned that if South Africa advances to stage 8 of its load-shedding system, the food manufacturing industry will suffer, and the country will face a shortage of both food and water.
People having a difficult time obtaining food and water creates severe social problems and has the potential to lead to civil unrest.
“The possibility of widespread social unrest is my greatest concern.” According to what he had to say, “We simply cannot afford a second wave of social unrest in South Africa.”
Astral Foods has issued a warning about the potential for political instability in the run-up to the national elections in 2024, along with poor service delivery and unpredictability in policy.
“Failing infrastructure and the lack of service delivery from a ‘government that is asleep at the wheel’ is placing a massive cost burden on businesses and consumers alike,” the report stated.
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The chief economist at Efficient Group, Dawie Roodt, is also concerned that things could go very wrong as a result of a toxic mix of high unemployment, absolute poverty, rising food prices, and an upcoming election.
Roodt expressed his anxiety over the possibility of a repeat of the riots and acts of public violence that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng two years ago.
“There is no expansion in the economy. We have high unemployment and poverty rates, and I am worried about the public unrest that occurred two years ago,” he stated.
Will there be another unrest in South Africa?
According to a recent report by an international insurance company called Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), rising levels of anger in South Africa as a result of growing inequality, political instability, and rising costs of living are contributing to a higher risk of strikes and riots in the country.
According to a report that was just released by the company, businesses in general need to be on the lookout for an increased risk of civil unrest because this type of unrest can frequently result in serious disruptions to operations or in the material destruction of property.
Many people believe that countries like South Africa, which have a highly polarised political climate, pose a greater threat of civil unrest. This is the opinion of Etienne Cheret, the Regional Practise Group Leader at AGCS.
