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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.
September 26, 2025 by

New smart meter-led strategy unveiled to tackle load reduction scourge

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has unveiled a new smart meter-led strategy to address the ongoing problem of load reduction, where the supply of electricity to poor communities is cut during peak periods to avoid infrastructure being damaged by overloading caused by illegal connections. The power cuts are indiscriminate and, thus, also affect households in those areas that pay their electricity accounts.
September 25, 2025 by

Sanedi says govt may use Expropriation Act to secure land for transmission line rollout

South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) energy secretariat head Professor Sampson Mamphweli says the government intends to leverage the Expropriation Act to acquire land for servitudes as part of its transmission network expansion programme. “It is known that much of the land under negotiation is underproductive and some farmers are no longer using it. However, in some cases, the government is pressured during negotiations and ends up paying significantly more for the servitude than the land is actually worth,” he noted at the inaugural Energy Indaba, hosted by the University of South Africa’s (Unisa) College of Human Sciences (CHS), in Pretoria, on September 22.
September 22, 2025 by

Newly consolidated renewables major, Anthem, sets 6 GW goal for 2030

Two well-established South African renewables companies – African Clean Energy Developments and EIMS Africa – have officially combined to form a new large-scale independent power producer (IPP) known as Anthem. The consolidation also coincides with the introduction of new shareholders into the entity, which has historical ties to the Old Mutual-linked African Infrastructure Investment Managers’ (AIIM’s) IDEAS Fund, which remains the majority shareholder in Anthem.
September 22, 2025 by

CoJ clamps down on residents not paying municipal accounts

The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) is accelerating action against its worst defaulters, which may see electricity meters being removed as part of the city’s aggressive credit control initiative under the Project Lokisa banner.

The CoJ has identified more than 1 300 residential customers with a combined municipal debt of R987-million, who have failed to pay their municipal accounts for more than a year.

September 22, 2025 by

Ramokgopa to give keynote address at Windaba 2025 – SAWEA

Industry organisation the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) says Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa will open the Windaba 2025 conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, with a keynote address on October 22. “The Minister’s participation presents a significant opportunity to align government’s policy direction with the wind and renewable-energy industry’s capabilities, galvanising collective action toward South Africa’s energy security and broader economic development goals,” says SAWEA CEO Niveshen Govender.
September 19, 2025 by

Governance crisis unfolds at Necsa

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer talks about what led to the recent resignation of five members of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) board; Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s continued confidence in the Necsa executive team; and the Minister’s plans for the Necsa board.
September 19, 2025 by

Ramokgopa says inquorate Necsa board to be replaced by new board within three weeks

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says a new board will be appointed at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) before the middle of October, replacing the current board which has been inquorate for weeks following a slew of resignations. Speaking during a meeting convened by the Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy specifically to discuss the governance crisis at Necsa, the Minister said the resignations had coincided with preparations for the appointment of a new board in January, but that the process would now be accelerated.
September 19, 2025 by

Centre installs new HVAC system

The installation of a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system has begun at the Bedford Centre shopping mall, in Johannesburg, Gauteng, to meet the operational needs of a new tenant, consumer goods manufacturer Tiger Brands. The existing HVAC system had already been decommissioned, which simplified the decision to install a system that would be better suited to the needs of Tiger Brands, says SSD Management Services director Rod van der Westhuizen.
September 19, 2025 by

Eskom reports major gains in containing online vending system breach

Fraud linked to Eskom’s Online Vending System (OVS) has been reduced to “very low levels of activity”, the power utility says. “Earlier this year, Eskom strengthened the protection of its systems against potential threats. All enhancements are managed through a robust change management process across all divisions, ensuring consistent oversight and control. These measures are part of our ongoing commitment to safeguarding operations,” comments Eskom chief technology and information officer Len de Villiers.
September 18, 2025 by