Electricity Minister deliberately misleading South Africans – analyst
Energy analyst Chris Yelland accused Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa of deliberately misleading South Africans regarding the closure of the Komati power station.
South Africa’s solar panel imports hit new record
South Africa’s import of solar panels has reached a new record, with R8.4 billion worth of panels imported in quarter two of 2023, more than double the amount imported in the first quarter 2023.
The total value of imports in the first half 2023 has already exceeded the value imported throughout the entirety of 2022.
Eskom pockets R463 million after selling off land, buildings, and equipment
Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility, has sold assets worth R463 million over the past five years, which is 72% higher than their book value.
The assets sold include 494 buildings and facilities, 1,903 units of laboratory, transport, and workshop equipment, and 380 pieces of land.
Cause of Joburg CBD explosion revealed — repairs will cost R178 million
The cause of the deadly explosion that occurred on Lillian Ngoyi Street, formerly known as Bree Street, in Johannesburg’s city centre last month has been revealed to be methane gas.
The investigation ruled out other suspected causes, such as gas leakage, illegal mining, or negligence.
Ramaphosa warned about South Africa’s rising unemployment
Business leaders in South Africa have warned President Cyril Ramaphosa that the country’s unemployment rate could rise to 38.1% by 2030 if urgent action is not taken to address the energy, logistics, and crime crises.
The current unemployment rate is already at 32.9%, one of the highest among more than 80 nations tracked by Bloomberg.
Code red at Eskom until August 2024
Eskom, South Africa’s power utility, is facing a severe generation shortage, and load-shedding is highly likely for the next year, according to its 2023 Week 29 system status report. The report’s 52-week outlook reveals that electricity demand will exceed available generating capacity.