The Editor’s Desk: Forget Ramaphoria, it’s time to get real
Load shedding once again paralysed South Africa this week, destroying confidence and eroding the viability of many businesses. As Eskom trotted out its well-worn "wet coal" excuse, many South Africans experienced a familiar frustration. Unfortunately, President Ramaphosa was nowhere to be seen – he was on a mission to Togo. As Alec Hogg and I discuss in this episode, it's time for the Ramaphosa administration to stop coasting on our goodwill and start delivering. Perhaps, as Alec argues, the proposed SAA business rescue plan is the first step. – Felicity Duncan
Load shedding – or, to call it like I see it, rolling blackouts – are a painful and frightening aspect of daily life in South Africa. Blackouts are scary. They leave people feeling vulnerable. They are also economically devastating, especially when they are sustained and frequent. No one wants to start a business when there's no guarantee they'll even be able to keep the literal lights on (never mind the figurative).
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