Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Eskom targets 32GW green energy shift by 2040

      16 July 2025

      MTN Group appoints new chief enterprise officer

      16 July 2025

      Kruger Park’s white rhinos get a hi-tech lifeline

      16 July 2025

      South Africa loosens media ownership rules – but keeps one hand on the remote

      16 July 2025

      The real cost of a cashless economy

      16 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Samsung’s bet on folding phones faces major test

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      OpenAI to launch web browser in direct challenge to Google Chrome

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025
    • In-depth

      The 1940s visionary who imagined the Information Age

      14 July 2025

      MultiChoice is working on a wholesale overhaul of DStv

      10 July 2025

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | Samsung unveils significant new safety feature for Galaxy A-series phones

      16 July 2025

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025
    • Opinion

      A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

      15 July 2025

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Energy and sustainability » Ramaphosa vows to bring an end to load shedding

    Ramaphosa vows to bring an end to load shedding

    By Staff Reporter25 April 2022
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    President Cyril Ramaphosa

    After a week of debilitating rolling blackouts imposed by state-owned electricity utility Eskom, President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to bring an end to load shedding.

    Writing in his weekly letter on Monday, Ramaphosa said load shedding is costing the economy “dearly” and is causing “great frustration among all South Africans”.

    “A stable and reliable supply of electricity is essential for almost every aspect of our daily lives and a necessary condition for economic growth. That is why we are focused on achieving energy security as one of our foremost priorities,” the president wrote.

    Read: From spectrum to roads, why fixing SA’s problems is an uphill battle

    He said his government is determined to ensure that the rolling blackouts, which have been a feature of South African life for more than 10 years, come to an end.

    “Even as we continue to experience crippling load shedding, the reality is that much progress has been made towards ending our energy supply challenges,” Ramaphosa wrote.

    Key points

    Key points made in Ramaphosa’s letter include:

    • South Africa’s fleet of coal-fired power stations is old. Their performance is deteriorating. Despite warnings from energy experts about impending energy shortages nearly two decades ago, there was a delay in commissioning new generation capacity.
    • When construction began on Medupi power station in Limpopo in 2007, it was the first power station to be built by Eskom in more than 20 years. Medupi has subsequently been beset by delays, costs overruns and breakdowns due to design problems, with many of these challenges linked to allegations of corruption.
    • For years, the existing power stations were not maintained properly, particularly as these plants were made to run harder than designed to meet the country’s energy needs. There was insufficient investment in the technical skills needed to operate and maintain power plants.
    • This situation was made worse by state capture. Billions of rand were diverted from critical operational requirements at Eskom into private pockets.
    • Eskom’s huge debt burden, including more than R36-billion of outstanding municipal debt, undermines the utility’s ability to improve its maintenance, infrastructure build and other operations.

    Ramaphosa said Eskom’s board and management team “need our full support as they work to turn the utility around”.

    “They have to keep the lights on while rebuilding Eskom as a viable entity that fulfils its developmental mandate as a state-owned enterprise, and positions it for a just energy transition.”

    Reforms

    Turning to what his administration is doing to bring an end to load shedding, Ramaphosa said structural reforms that were started in 2018 will have a “far-reaching impact on the South African energy landscape, even if the changes will take time to bear fruit”. These reforms include:

    • Reviving, in 2018, the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme, which had stalled. This allowed 2.2GW of additional capacity to be built through “bid window” 4.
    • A further 5.2GW of solar and wind power being procured through the next bid windows (5 and 6). This additional generation capacity is due to connect to the grid from late 2023. The Integrated Resource Plan of 2019 provides for a further 3GW of gas and 500MW of battery storage to be procured from independent power producers.
    • Lifting, in June 2021, the licensing threshold for new generation projects from 1MW to 100MW so that private investors do not require a licence to build generation facilities up to this size and can produce their own power or sell it across the grid to other buyers.
    • A joint task team comprising all relevant government departments and the private sector working to accelerate investments in new generation projects under 100MW. There is a pipeline of 58 projects under development with a combined capacity of 4.5GW, many of which will commence construction this year.

    Transformed

    “South Africa’s energy security can only be assured if we reduce reliance on a single utility for power and unlock private investment in generation capacity. This is one of the most important reforms contained in the draft Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill that was gazetted for public comment in February,” Ramaphosa said.

    “The bill provides for the establishment of an independent transmission and system operator. This means that while the national grid will remain owned and controlled by the state, there will be competition among multiple generators selling power to distributors and customers. The introduction of a competitive electricity market will unleash new investment in generation capacity and will be a key driver of economic growth.

    “It is difficult to expect the millions of South Africans grappling with the inconvenience and hardship caused by intermittent power outages to remain patient as we resolve these longstanding challenges. It is difficult to convince them, as they sit in the dark, that we are making progress towards a secure and reliable supply of electricity. But the reality is that the energy landscape is being transformed, the problems at Eskom are steadily being addressed and substantial new energy generation capacity is being built,” the president said.  — © 2022 NewsCentral Media



    Cyril Ramaphosa Eskom
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleHuawei pumps $22-billion into R&D to beat US sanctions
    Next Article Disney+ to join Netflix on DStv set-top boxes

    Related Posts

    Eskom targets 32GW green energy shift by 2040

    16 July 2025

    Eskom wants your solar system registered – but what does that actually mean?

    15 July 2025

    Trump tariffs could wreck South Africa’s vehicle manufacturing industry

    14 July 2025
    Company News

    Ransomware in South Africa: the human factor behind the growing crisis

    16 July 2025

    Mental wellness at scale: how Mac fuels October Health’s mission

    15 July 2025

    Banking on LEO: Q-KON transforms financial services connectivity

    14 July 2025
    Opinion

    A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

    15 July 2025

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.