Market launch and unbundling progress will send powerful reform signals

Having been established in late 2022 at the height of South Africa’s electricity crisis, the Energy Council of South Africa’s initial focus was almost singular: partner with government and Eskom to end loadshedding, which was severely undermining the economy as well as critical investor confidence required for growth and job creation. Under the aegis of the Energy Action Plan (EAP), which was launched a few months earlier in July 2022, and through the partnership between government and business in the National Energy Crisis Committee (Necom), CEO James Mackay says the Energy Council mobilised business resources to support stabilisation and recovery from loadshedding. This also had strong government support and political decision-making, as evidenced by the rapidly advanced financial debt-relief package by National Treasury.