Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy’s decision to allow Eskom to operate its Kusile power station without the use of flue gas desulphurisation signals “urgency in a time of crisis” and is a welcome decision in the context of South Africa’s electricity crisis, says Business Unity South Africa (Busa).

The organisation notes that the continued integrity of the electricity system depends on the Medupi and Kusile power stations being operational.

The exemption in terms of Section 59(1) of the National Environment Management: Air Quality Act (NEMAQA) is conditional and does not serve as a permanent exemption or postponement. Busa notes that it will monitor the stipulated timeframes and progress on the remedial work Eskom needs to undertake on Kusile.

The exemption has received mixed reviews, with the Life After Coal campaign criticising the decision, stating that it will harm the health of people living nearby the power station in Delmas, Mpumalanga.

Busa avers that South Africa is in “unprecedented times and the electricity crisis requires extraordinary decisions”.

It points out that as NEMAQA is key to ensuring that South Africans live in a healthy environment, Eskom needs to guarantee the completion of repairs to Kusile in line with conditions set out in the exemption and must undergo public consultation with affected communities to mitigate the consequences of this decision.

“Air quality and climate change mitigation measures are critical to the sustainability of the economy and society, this measure by the Minister is an indication of how fragile our electricity system is and in turn how vulnerable our economy is.

“It is a tough juggling act, but we are encouraged that in implementing its remedial interventions on Kusile and in implementing its turn-around strategy, Eskom will be doing so with a view of enhancing its implementation and contribution to a just transition to a low carbon economy,” Busa says.