South Africa must use the climate conference COP27 to push for just transition funding
Partnership with companies producing green power is aimed at taking pressure off the grid
The power utility, already burdened by a debt of R396‑billion, has taken on a R9-billion loan from the World Bank, causing economists to warn of tariff hikes
Employees, including senior staff members and contractors, have stolen or deliberately broken equipment, which has contributed to load-shedding
Negotiators are concerned that 80% of the money promised by the UK, US, Germany, France and the European Union is in the form of high interest loans
Union questions the utility’s decision to stall maintenance at the nuclear power plant
A total blackout is unlikely, but South Africa’s municipalities say they won’t be caught off guard
In the unlikely event of a total grid collapse, the economy would be brought to an unprecedented standstill
Disagreements as civil society groups say they are not getting a meaningful role in the process, while would-be recipients queue up for the money
But the power utility says not so, and that it has for years been calling for additional generation capacity