The Editor’s Desk: A deep dive into the darkness at Eskom
The troubles at Eskom have come to consume South Africa, absorbing attention, demanding discussion, and dominating headlines. Given the huge impact that the struggling utility has on everyone's daily lives, this is unsurprising. This week was dominated by Eskom chair Jabu Mabuza's resignation and a fresh wave of attacks on Pravin Gordhan, who promised no loadshedding only to be made a liar by subsequent events. In this episode, Alec Hogg and I wrestle with the situation at Eskom, breaking down what is happening and getting honest about what actions South Africans should be taking to protect themselves and their businesses. – Felicity Duncan
Load shedding is back, and with it has come a fresh challenge for Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan, who is taking flak after Eskom failed to meet its promise to avoid load shedding until January 13. Unions have already claimed one scalp over this in the form of chair Jabu Mabuza, but they are scenting blood and looking to oust Gordhan. Whether or not this will improve the situation at Eskom seems not to be a top consideration – indeed, some may argue that Eskom would see faster improvements if the unions themselves encouraged their underperforming members to resign.
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