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South Africa's Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has ruled out claims that sabotage is behind the country's worsening power cuts. Paul Njie
Beginning last Wednesday, South Africa has been experiencing its most extreme power outages since November, prompting widespread outrage on social media. BBC News, Yaoundé
The secretary general of the ruling ANC party Fikile Mbalula on Saturday alleged that the intensified power cuts were "clear sabotage" and called for "strong extra security measures". One student has died and several others were injured after an explosive device went off in Cameroon's restive North-West region.
Mr Ramokgopa rejected the claims on Sunday, saying that the extreme power outages had been caused by leaking boiler tubes, which are used in the generation of electricity in power plants. The incident occurred on Sunday as the students were marching in commemoration of the country’s youth day in Nkambe town.
The electricity minister said that the leakages had caused the simultaneous failure of nine major power units. Videos circulating on social media show students running for safety after the explosion.
Two of the power units have returned to operations, resulting in the downgrading of power cuts by one level. The regional governor told the state media that one student was killed and 40 people were injured during the incident.
The remaining seven units are expected to resume operations early this week, but Mr Ramokgopa said that the biggest relief to the ongoing loadshedding is expected in March. Governor Adolphe Lele L’Afrique said separatist fighters were suspected to have staged the attack.
South Africa has been experiencing power blackouts - known as loadshedding - for several years. The Anglophone separatists had imposed a lockdown to disrupt the celebrations.
Many residents often go up to six hours a day without power. Attacks against students, teachers and educational institutions are common in Anglophone Cameroon.
The incident is seen as an attempt by the separatists to enforce a boycott of education, which they imposed over seven years ago.
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