Specialist economics advisory group Meridian Economics has outlined five practical actions that could be taken in the next 500 days to address South Africa’s immediate electricity crisis and position the broader energy sector for future sustainability and climate resilience. In a briefing note prepared for the Capacity Building Programme for Employment Promotion Colloquium, hosted this week by the Government Technical Advisory Centre and funded by the European Union, authors Dr Grové Steyn, Celeste Renaud and Lonwabo Mgoduso argue that the five actions would “jump-start South Africa’s journey to a 21st century  energy sector” and open the way for a myriad of new industrial and employment opportunities.