South Africa could become a "failed state" but has yet to reach that point, a senior official of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has said.

The admission by ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula comes as South Africa experiences power cuts, known as load-shedding, of up to 10 hours a day.

"This load-shedding has just made a mess of our country," he told the BBC's HARDtalk programme.

The power cuts have worsened South Africa's economic crisis.

The country is also battling high levels of corruption, all of which has damaged confidence in the ANC government.

"If certain things are not resolved, we will become a failed state, but we are not journeying towards that direction," Mr Mbalula said in an exclusive interview with BBC HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur.

... can't be, can it? Isn't that one of the BRICSers that we are told are about to eliminate the US dollar globally ...??

Now go & ask your borscht eating buddies to help you out a bit ...

 

Become a failed state? It has been a failed state for years already. 

Suprise, suprise.

1 hour ago, jollyhangmon said:

... can't be, can it? Isn't that one of the BRICSers that we are told are about to eliminate the US dollar globally ...??

Now go & ask your borscht eating buddies to help you out a bit ...

 

Well, China will lend them money....with guarantees attached.

I suppose one of the indicators of a "failed state" is how basic services such as commuter railways are faring...

It's so sad that the hopes that the world had for a modern SA when Mandela became president have all but gone. I think Mbeki was the last leader to show even a bit of integrity.