The state of disaster meant it could use emergency procurement procedures with fewer bureaucratic delays in a bid to end severe power cuts.

There had been concern that this would open the door to further corruption in the state-owned power company, Eskom.

It has been mired in scandals and is more than $20bn (£16bn) in debt.

The government now says it can deal with the crisis through existing legislation.

Power cuts have eased in recent weeks but continue to affect all of South Africa on a daily basis.

South Africa's Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has also reversed a decision to exempt Eskom from declaring all of its expenditure.

The opposition had said the policy was an acceptance of corruption in the power sector.