South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the country faces a "difficult winter ahead" amid its worst-ever power cuts that have left homes and the economy badly affected.
The country is approaching the southern hemisphere winter, which is usually a peak-time electricity use period as households switch on heating devices.
"We face a difficult winter ahead as demand increases," President Ramaphosa told lawmakers on Wednesday.
South Africa has an aging energy infrastructure with a dependence on coal. At least three power stations are undergoing repairs that are expected to resume operations after winter.
The president played down the possibility of a collapse of the power grid and signaled at further rationing of the available electricity.
"The risk of a national blackout remains extremely low," Mr Ramaphosa.
Power cuts, referred locally as load shedding, will allow state-owned energy utility Eskom to "keep the system in balance", he added.
President Ramaphosa appointed appointed minister of electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, to deal with the energy crisis.
