South Africa has experienced a significant deterioration of its energy security over the past 10 years. While there have been recent successes, these are the exception and not substantial in the context of the challenges being faced. South Africa’s energy future still looks insecure despite Eskom’s new build projects.
Adding to the uncertainty of a stable supply is Eskom’s mismanagement and gross irregular expenditure, with Eskom looking at possible insolvency late 2022 if government does not assist with a bailout or a substantial increase in the cost of power being approved by the national energy regulator.
Key sectors of the energy system are in crisis, evidenced by the protracted electricity generation capacity shortage, the South African coal roadmap alert of potential coal shortages by 2023.