South African Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe tested positive for Covid-19 as the nation struggles to end a new round of power cuts and curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mantashe will remain in isolation with his wife and work from home, South Africa’s presidency said in a statement late Tuesday. He is the first cabinet minister in the country to be diagnosed with the disease.
“The minister remains committed to a course of ensuring security of energy and petroleum products supply,” it said.
Mantashe has pledged to ensure security of electricity supply, but efforts to procure emergency power have been hamstrung by policy and regulatory delays. His department didn’t immediately reply to an email sent Tuesday on the progress of the emergency procurement of 2,000 megawatts of power.
Mantashe already had a crucial role as mining minister when his portfolio was broadened to include energy. There have been ongoing challenges by companies to the nation’s mining charter that remain unresolved.
