Distribution crisis requires attention on same ‘scale and intensity’ as generation shortfall

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has described South Africa’s highly fragmented electricity distribution industry as a threat to energy security that warrants attention “on the scale and intensity” that has been given to the country’s generation shortfall in the recent past. Delivering and update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan in Parliament, Ramokgopa said that a significant number of municipalities were in a state of paralysis and unable to perform their mandated duties, including in the area of electricity distribution.
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Eskom targets 1 000 MW as it launches cross-border standard purchase offer

South Africa’s electricity utility Eskom is aiming to contract for 1 000 MW of additional electricity imports from it regional neighbours using a cross-border standard offer programme (CBSOP), which was formally launched on October 18. The programme, Eskom says, is designed to simplify the procurement of energy from existing and new facilities in the region.
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Top bond investor slams South Africa bid to fix State firms

Futuregrowth Asset Management, a South African money manager overseeing more than R190-billion of fixed-income assets, says the government’s draft legislation meant to address inefficiencies at state entities is “ineffective, overdue, vague, and contradictory”. The National State Enterprises Bill aims to establish the State Asset Management, a holding company to consolidate the state’s shareholdings. But the draft law does little to address critical failures at the country’s government-owned companies, according to Olga Constantanos, head of credit at Cape Town-based Futuregrowth.
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Ramaphosa says battle against coal syndicates gaining traction

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the efforts by law enforcement agencies and the South African Revenue Service (Sars) to bust coal smuggling syndicates operating in the country. Planned search and seizure operations targeting coal smuggling syndicates have gained traction across five provinces with the documents of individuals alleged to have committed procurement fraud, tax crimes and coal diversion being confiscated.
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