Energy and electricity policy, planning and regulation in South Africa has been slow and bureaucratic, lacking visionary leadership, and marred by uncertainty.
South Africa’s energy sector has no choice but to change. Decarbonisation is key to the country’s emissions goals. Energy expert Chris Yelland has been watching the industry’s chaotic decline for decades. Load-shedding, as employed by the state power utility Eskom, wastes millions of rands a day in undelivered power and hampers the already-struggling economy. Eskom has swallowed billions in taxpayers’ money. Meanwhile the government throws good money after bad, flouting its own rules. Yelland unpacks the bureaucratic dead ends in regulation and the lack of political will that has brought the sector to its current state of apathy and disrepair. – Melani Nathan
Are changes finally coming to SA’s energy policy? Chris Yelland
Medupi power station. Picture: Gallo Images / Mail & Guardian / Madelene Cronjé Energy and electricity policy, planning and regulation in South Africa has been slow and bureaucratic, lacking visionary leadership, and marred by uncertainty.
Policy positions and actions taken have tended to be reactive, and driven more by crisis management than by forward-looking leadership.
In 1998, the Government White Paper on Energy Policy detailed a policy of restructuring and liberalisation of the electricity supply industry (ESI).
However, it became clear that the political and executive leadership in national, provincial and local government, and the various affected ministries, were not of a common mind on the
Energy and electricity policy, planning and regulation in South Africa has been slow and bureaucratic, lacking visionary leadership and marred by uncertainty. Policy positions and actions have tended to be reactive and driven more by crisis management than by forward-looking leadership.
National energy policy and planning
In 1998, the government’s White Paper on Energy Policy detailed a policy of restructuring and liberalisation of the electricity supply industry (ESI). However, it became clear that the political and executive leadership in national, provincial and local government, and the affected ministries, were not of a common mind on the matter, and the ESI incumbents (Eskom and municipalities) had little appetite to restructure themselves. To date, not one of these policy objectives has been met, even though the policy document remains in place.
MONEYWEB
app instead?
A look at energy policy and changes over the years.
By Chris Yelland
18 Dec 2020 00:01
Distracting talk of clean coal technologies, underground coal gasification, and carbon capture and storage demonstrates a lingering commitment to coal. Image: Shutterstock
Energy and electricity policy, planning and regulation in South Africa has been slow and bureaucratic, lacking visionary leadership, and marred by uncertainty.
Policy positions and actions taken have tended to be reactive, and driven more by crisis management than by forward-looking leadership.
National energy policy and planning
In 1998, the Government White Paper on Energy Policy detailed a policy of restructuring and liberalisation of the electricity supply industry (ESI).