Lights Out in the Capital: Lesufi Points Finger at ‘Dark Forces’ Ahead of Global Summit

The timing was, to say the least, highly inconvenient. As Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi stood before a parade of law enforcement officers on Wednesday, detailing a watertight security plan for this weekend’s G20 Summit, large parts of the nation’s administrative capital, Tshwane, were plunged into darkness.

The power outage, which affected iconic landmarks like the Union Buildings and swathes of the Pretoria CBD, cast a literal shadow over the state-of-readiness briefing. And Lesufi did not mince his words when addressing it. He pointed a firm finger at what he called “dark forces” actively working to sabotage South Africa’s moment on the global stage.

A Parade of Force Meets an Invisible Enemy

The briefing itself was a display of formidable readiness. Flanked by acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola, and a host of other dignitaries, Lesufi projected an image of a unified and capable government. He spoke of five months of meticulous weekly planning, assured budgeting, and a single objective: to ensure the safety and comfort of both South Africans and international delegates.

“We are sending a very strong message that when South Africans are called to action, they rise to the occasion,” Lesufi declared to the assembled officers at the FNB Park and Ride in Johannesburg.

But this show of force was juxtaposed with a battle against an unseen adversary. “Unfortunately, there are those dark forces that try extremely hard to pull the country backwards,” the Premier stated, his comments cutting through the confidence of the parade. He directly linked the blackout to a pattern of suspicious incidents. “We have seen certain incidents that cannot be explained: power outages at strategic moments and at strategic institutions.”

Between Conspiracy and Coincidence

The City of Tshwane swiftly dispatched technicians to investigate the cause of the outage, which hit areas including Arcadia, Sunnyside, and the University of South Africa (UNISA). For many residents and businesses, it was another frustrating episode of load shedding by another name. But for the government, hosting its most significant international event in years, the timing felt targeted.

Just last week, Premier Lesufi had publicly guaranteed that there would be no water or electricity shortages during the G20 Summit. He outlined a comprehensive energy plan involving emergency generators, battery backups, and high-mast solar lighting for key venues and transport corridors. This assurance makes the pre-summit blackout not just a logistical headache, but a stark public relations challenge.

Lesufi’s rhetoric frames this as a test of national resilience. “Every time they strike, we repair. Every time they think they can disrupt, we restore,” he asserted, vowing that the event would proceed undisturbed.

The message from the top is clear: South Africa is ready to host, but it is also on high alert. As the world’s leaders prepare to land in Nasrec, the government is fighting a war on two fronts one against tangible security threats, and another against the shadowy “dark forces” it believes are lurking in the wings, waiting for a chance to flip the switch.

{Source: IOL}

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