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electricity crisislatest news & developments
On the job: Maluti-a-Phofung municipal workers attending to electricity
connections in the area. Photo: Maluti-a-Phofung Communications

Thugs cut power, demand villagers pay

Criminals are allegedly extorting residents when the FS municipality fails to cough up for work they submitted claims for but that was never done

A water tanker in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State. The province’s lack of reliable services is scuppering the tourism industry. File photo (Delwyn Verasamy)

Free State tourism growth hampered by poor municipal services, says MEC Toto Makume

Some municipalities fail to provide a reliable supply of basic services such as water and electricity

Matimba coal-powered station in Lephalale. (Paul Botes/AFP)

Eskom at risk of stage 13 load-shedding if it doesn’t shape up, says new report

‘Prudent operation and maintenance practices’ could prevent up to six stages of load-shedding, according to the report from the VGBE

A general view shows trails of lights from passing vehicles in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, which  is submerged in darkness due to load-shedding

Stage six load-shedding brought forward

Don’t use geysers from five to nine at night, electricity minister pleads, while the cold, dark winter Eskom promised hits the country and power stations continue to break down

President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Ramaphosa announces national state of disaster on energy

In a hint of what will come in his cabinet reshuffle, the president sidelined Mantashe with plan to appoint energy minister in the presidency

At a minimum, mining organisations must
develop context-specific cybersecurity strategies tailored to their unique operational needs. (Photo supplied)

Blackouts add to risk of recession

Other factors are inflation and interest rate hikes while load-shedding has affected key sectors

In the newly democratic South Africa, the shamefully low level of electrification of black households was seen as an apartheid wrong that needed to be righted.

Why Soweto residents do not owe Eskom R18-billion

This debt should be deemed a subsidy, an external cost that the government must bear for inadequate service delivery.

The industry hardest hit by job losses was manufacturing, with 105 000 people becoming unemployed in that sector in the second quarter. (Gallo)

Lighting up Africa

Engineering Research Capacity Development Award by an individual

Earlier on Wednesday, Eskom chief financial officer Calib Cassim explained that the key driver behind the tariff increases is that the power utility can no longer depend on continued financial support from the government.

Did 34% of households have access to electricity in 1994?

President Jacob Zuma claims that 34% of households had access to electricity in 1994. Available data suggests he is wrong. By 1994 it was about 50%.

Koeberg’s chief nuclear officer, Riedewaan Barkadien, has resigned to take up an executive position at a nuclear power station in Canada. Eskom said former Koeberg power station plant manager Keith Featherstone would act as chief nuclear officer from the start of August.

SA’s sovereign rating may avoid being downgraded to junk

Things remain stable, assures rating agency Standard & Poor’s – at least for the time being.

Will the Cahora Bassa Dam deal still be renegotiated?

The pact between Pretoria and Portugal over the hydroelectric dam helped the apartheid state extend its empire’s tentacles, say researchers.

Eskom is likely to remain in the financial red

Moody’s Investors Service are not holding out on Eskom’s finances improving any time soon, and neither should the country.

Further load shedding looms if Eskom’s liquidity crisis is not addressed.

Namibia exporting power to SA

Eskom is receiving approximately 200MW of electricity from its counterpart in Namibia, NamPower, as it struggles to keep the lights on.

Eskom crisis: Government co-owns the problem

After a rescue package from the national treasury last year Eskom’s financial woes are far from alleviated, and won’t be for years to come.

Earlier on Wednesday, Eskom chief financial officer Calib Cassim explained that the key driver behind the tariff increases is that the power utility can no longer depend on continued financial support from the government.

Gigaba warns of tight electricity supply until winter

Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba says electricity supply will be extremely tight from April to July to complete maintenance.

The power tility expects to return units to service over the next few days

Eskom declares electricity supply emergency

Power utility Eskom has again declared an emergency as four generating units developed "technical problems".

Ten percent of South African household rely on firewood and charcoal to cook and warm their houses. (Gallo)

Wood could bring power to those without electricity

Biomass energy could be the answer for the two-million rural households that are not connected to the electricity grid.

Earlier on Wednesday, Eskom chief financial officer Calib Cassim explained that the key driver behind the tariff increases is that the power utility can no longer depend on continued financial support from the government.

In the township, an electricity gap can always be plugged

Cable theft is so rife in the townships that ordinary people have found "clever" ways of connecting to power illegally, writes Tiisetso Makube.

Energy minister calls for tighter electricity efficiency

Energy minister calls for tighter electricity efficiency

Energy Minister Dipuo Peters says her department will focus on energy efficiency in municipalities and will address results of lowered revenue.

R120-billion clean power boom

R120-billion clean power boom

Bids will bring 3 750 megawatts of alternative energy on to the grid within the next three years at a total cost of R120-billion.