🔒 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

Content hosted by iono.fm

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.
___STEADY_PAYWALL___

Whatever happens with Gordhan, it’s clear that Eskom is, in a sense, the only issue facing Cyril Ramaphosa’s government. Success or failure at the utility will be the yardstick by which his administration is measured. Unfortunately, while important changes are underway, the path to a functional Eskom looks both long and treacherous.

So, where does that leave regular people? How can ordinary South Africans and South African businesses insulate themselves against the risks posed by unreliable electricity and prepare for a long road ahead? It may be time to start thinking about installing your own generation capacity and working to get more independent of the central grid.

Visited 58 times, 1 visit(s) today