insert_link Business / Economics South Africa’s electricity crisis: what political parties say in their election manifestos about solving it By Hartmut Winkler, University of Johannesburg South Africa is in the middle of a deep electricity crisis. In 2023 the public, many of whom are voters, experienced the worst loadshedding to date, losing power for an average of five hours a day. The power shortages were largely due to excessive breakdowns in the country’s coal power plant fleet, which generates over 80% of South Africa’s electricity, combined […] today28 March, 2024
insert_link Africa The Toxic Air We Breathe: Greenpeace Maps Africa’s Air Pollution Hotspots Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa have emerged as Africa’s most polluted countries in terms of air pollution disease burden, with profound health consequences for Africa’s people and exacerbated impacts on climate change, a report prepared by Greenpeace Africa and Greenpeace MENA can now reveal. Titled "Major Air Polluters in Africa Unmasked," the report investigates the biggest human sources of air pollution across Africa, focusing on major industrial and economic […] today28 March, 2024
insert_link South Africa ActionSA Vows Legal Opposition to Government and Eskom’s Load-Shedding Appeal Herman Mashaba, President of ActionSA, has announced that the party's legal team will oppose the government and Eskom's appeal against the load-shedding judgment. Last December, the full bench of the North Gauteng High Court ruled load-shedding unconstitutional and mandated consistent electricity supply for public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and police stations. Deputy spokesperson James de Villiers of ActionSA asserts that load-shedding clearly infringes upon the fundamental rights of citizens. […] today27 March, 2024
insert_link South Africa SAP to Pay 500-Million-Rand Settlement to SIU Over Corrupt Eskom Contracts German software giant SAP has agreed to pay the Special Investigating Unit 500 million rand within seven days concerning corrupt contracts at Eskom. The SIU states that the settlement arises from two Eskom contracts, valued at around 1.1 billion rand, awarded to SAP between 2013 and 2016. The Special Tribunal has declared the contracts constitutionally invalid, following an investigation that revealed they were entered into illegally. The SIU emphasizes that […] today26 March, 2024
insert_link South Africa African Transformation Movement Denounces Eskom’s Proposed Electricity Tariff Hike The African Transformation Movement has issued a strong condemnation against Eskom's plan to raise electricity tariffs by an average of 15.9 percent annually over the next three years. The party asserts that this decision directly jeopardizes the economic stability and well-being of citizens. While acknowledging Eskom's need for financial sustainability, ATM's spokesperson, Zama Ntshona, argues that burdening already struggling households and businesses with this hike is unjustifiable. Ntshona vehemently opposes […] today14 March, 2024
insert_link South Africa Eskom Announces Daytime Load-Shedding Reprieve Amidst Improved Emergency Reserves In a recent statement, Eskom has confirmed its decision to prolong the suspension of daytime load-shedding, citing the recovery of emergency generation reserves and the reintegration of three generating units. The suspension will be effective from 5:00 AM until 4:00 PM, after which stage two load-shedding will be implemented. This operational rhythm is set to persist until further notice. Eskom further anticipates the return of an additional 3,330 megawatts of […] today11 March, 2024
insert_link South Africa Eskom Embraces National Treasury’s Recommendations for Sustainable Revival Eskom expressed approval for the recommendations put forth in a report commissioned by the National Treasury, marking a crucial step in the power utility's journey towards sustainability. The report, covering the assessment period from March to May of the previous year, aligns with the initiation of Eskom board's generation operational recovery plan. According to spokesperson Daphne Mokwena, Eskom had already unveiled several improvements in October of the same year, showcasing […] today4 March, 2024
insert_link South Africa Eskom Enforces Stage Four Load-Shedding Due to Power Station Unit Loss Eskom announces the implementation of stage four load-shedding from 4 a.m. until further notice. The decision follows the loss of five generating units at the Kendal power station and a generating unit at the Duvha power station in Mpumalanga. Eskom assures that it will actively monitor the power system and communicate any significant changes to the grid promptly. today22 February, 2024
insert_link South Africa South African Finance Minister Acknowledges Load-Shedding Impact, Advocates Energy Sector Reforms in Budget SA Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana addresses the critical issue of load-shedding, recognizing its widespread impact on South Africans, disrupting production, operations, and livelihoods. During the delivery of the last budget of the 6th administration, Godongwana emphasizes the need for energy sector reforms to ensure long-term energy security. today22 February, 2024
