Zambia to engage Zimbabwe over use of hydro plant at Kariba Dam

Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema says he will engage his Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, in a private “family conversation” over the use and management of the hydro plant at Kariba Dam. This at a time when both Zimbabwe and Zambia are experiencing reduced electricity generation because of low water in the dam.
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Energy department to oversee Eskom

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the energy department will take over responsibility for overseeing state utility Eskom Holdings, which has been failing to meet the nation’s power demand since 2008. The change will be in line with a resolution adopted by the governing African National Congress at its national conference last week, which specified that state companies operating in specific economic sectors should be overseen by the relevant government departments. That could potentially signal a dissolution of the Department of Public Enterprises, which oversees Eskom, logistics company Transnet and several other entities.
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Scramble to restore electricity as City Power deals with 17 incidents of cable theft, vandalism

Many areas in and around the City of Joburg have been without power since Friday after at least 17 incidents of cable theft and vandalism were reported. One person has since been arrested.
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Ramaphosa says Eskom CEO quit because ‘it’s a tough job’

The CEO of Eskom Holdings Andre de Ruyter resigned because “it’s a tough job,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said, stressing that the government has a “cohesive” plan to resolve the national power shortage. Ramaphosa said the government is not “sleeping on the job,” with regard to the worst ever power cuts the nation has experienced and he has spoken to his ministers about the need for a uniform approach to the problem.
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Policy Uncertainty Index improves to 53.2, but remains in negative territory

The North-West University Business School’s Policy Uncertainty Index (PUI) for the fourth quarter of 2022 eased to 53.2 points down from the 59.6 recorded in the third quarter, but it remains in negative territory above the 50-point baseline. Nevertheless, the positive factors in the fourth quarter outweighed the negatives to significantly reduce the fourth-quarter PUI.
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New IAEA training tool used to assist Senegal with its nuclear research reactor project

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a specialist organisation of the United Nations system, highlighted on Friday that it has piloted a new training tool in Senegal, in support of the West African country’s plan to acquire a research reactor. The piloting of the new tool took place in Dakar, from December 12 to December 16. Designated the IAEA Human Resource Modelling Tool for New Research Reactor Programmes, the new training system is intended to help countries to determine and develop the skilled workforces they will need to implement new research reactor programmes. Using modelling, the tool will help these countries to address the human resources requirements of every step in such programmes, from planning research reactors to operating them.
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Eskom says police investigating alleged poisoning of CEO

South African power utility Eskom on Sunday said police were investigating whether an attempt was made to poison its outgoing CEO Andre de Ruyter. Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan also told Reuters on Sunday the alleged incident “will be thoroughly investigated” and anyone responsible charged.
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