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Dept confirms resignation of remaining nuclear board members

By: News24Wire 15th January 2020 The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has confirmed the resignation of the remaining members of the Board of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa. Earlier on Wednesday Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe told reporters he had not yet received any... →

No nuclear board resignations, but I wouldn’t stop them – Mantashe

By: News24Wire 15th January 2020 Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe told reporters on Wednesday morning that he had not received any resignations from the current board members of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa), but would not stop them if they wished to leave. This came after energy... →

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

Interest rate cuts ‘will do no harm’, says PwC

By: Simone Liedtke 14th January 2020 In a low-inflation environment, “interest rate cuts will certainly do no harm,” PwC said on Tuesday in the lead-up to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC’s) decision on whether or not South Africa’s interest rates should be lowered. There is already some... →

Minerals Council calls for intervention to ‘salvage and revive’ South Africa

By: Simone Liedtke 14th January 2020 The Minerals Council South Africa has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa and other government leaders to “salvage and revive” South Africa’s economy after noting the “increasing urgency of a range of critical steps needed”. In a statement released ahead of the Business Economic Indaba (BEI), which... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Minerals Council CEO Roger Baxter

No, stage 8 load-shedding is not imminent – Eskom

By: News24Wire 14th January 2020 Eskom has denied telling municipalities that stage 8 load-shedding is imminent, describing media articles claiming this to be "erroneous and incorrect". The power utility said that while it has developed contingency plans for a severe supply constraints this does not mean that it is planning to... →

No load-shedding expected on Monday, says Eskom

By: African News Agency 13th January 2020 Eskom has managed to avoid load-shedding over the weekend and no load-shedding is expected on Monday, the State-owned power utility said. "The power system is showing some improvement as our teams continue to work hard to bring generation units that have tripped or are on maintenance back on line... →

Eskom's Mabuza resigns as blackouts resume

By: Bloomberg 11th January 2020 The chairperson of Eskom Holdings resigned from his post after the South African power utility resumed rolling blackouts earlier than expected in 2020. Jabu Mabuza tendered his resignation on Friday and “apologized for Eskom’s inability” to meet a commitment it made to President Cyril Ramaphosa... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Jabu Mabuza

UASA slams Eskom 'incompetence'

By: African News Agency 10th January 2020 One of South Africa's oldest trade unions, UASA, on Friday slammed state power provider Eskom for its "incompetence". According to UASA spokesperson, Stanford Mazhindu, Eskom having to implement stage 2 load-shedding before industries restarted following the festive break was "a sad state of... →

Ramaphosa looking at changes in Eskom board – Presidency

By: News24Wire 10th January 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa is looking at making changes to the Eskom board as part of the implementation of a rescue plan at the power utility. Ramaphosa's spokesperson Khusela Diko said this while responding to questions over earlier comments by Deputy President David Mabuza. Diko said, "The... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Load-shedding downgraded to stage 1 as problem units return to service

By: News24Wire 10th January 2020 Eskom switched from stage 2 to stage 1 load-shedding at 06:00 on Friday morning. Stage 1 load-shedding will continue until 23:00 on Friday evening. This is as a result of an improved prognosis for the day as some generating units return to service," Eskom said in a statement. Unexpected bouts of... →

Gordhan and Eskom board 'misled' Ramaphosa about load shedding – David Mabuza

By: News24Wire 9th January 2020 The deputy president of the African National Congress and the country, David Mabuza, said President Cyril Ramaphosa was misled when he was told there would be no load-shedding before the January 13. The country has been hit, yet again, by a round of rolling blackouts, despite promises from... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa & Deputy President David Mabuza

Eskom to apply rolling blackouts until Friday morning

By: News24Wire 9th January 2020 South Africa's electricity system remains severely constrained and unpredictable and this will necessitate rolling power cuts until Friday morning, State utility Eskom said on Thursday. In a statement Eskom, which has struggled with breakdowns in its generating units in recent months, said it had... →

Clarity on emergency procurement of 3 000 MW expected only by end Feb

By: Terence Creamer 8th January 2020 Hundreds of potential respondents to a request for information (RFI) – issued in December by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) for supply and demand solutions to South Africa’s prevailing power deficit – descended on Centurion on Wednesday for a briefing ahead of the... →

Load-shedding hit manufacturing in December – but SA could still avoid recession

By: News24Wire 8th January 2020 Load-shedding in December - which reached an unprecedented stage six - hampered the struggling South African manufacturing sector, while global trade wars between US and other economies meant local exporters faced tough conditions both at home and abroad. The Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index fell... →

High risk of load-shedding on Wednesday evening

By: News24Wire 8th January 2020 Eskom on Wednesday warned that there is a high likelihood stage 2 load-shedding will be implemented in the evening. The power utility issued an update on Twitter indicating that it ceased overnight load-shedding at 06:00, but more load-shedding may be required later to "replenish water resources... →

Acsa’s top airports rank well in terms of punctuality

By: Rebecca Campbell 8th January 2020 State-owned Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) announced on Wednesday that its – and the country’s – three largest airports had scored in the top ten of their respective categories in global punctuality league tables for 2019. These league tables are published by global travel data company OAG,... →

Investec warns of energy sector’s negative impact on output, GDP growth

By: Simone Liedtke 7th January 2020 Eskom’s declining energy availability factor (EAF) is expected to have a negative impact on the country’s industrial output for the fourth quarter of 2019, as well as gross domestic product growth (GDP) for the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of this year, warns financial services... →

SAA scores well in airline punctuality report

By: Rebecca Campbell 7th January 2020 State-owned national flag-carrier South African Airways (SAA) has been ranked as the number one African airline with regard to on-time performance (OTP), it reported on Tuesday. The ranking was done by Cirium, a travel data and analytics business. According to the International Air Transport... →

Photo by SAA
Cargo being loaded on to an SAA airliner

DMRE hosts briefing ahead of launch of emergency power programme

By: Terence Creamer 7th January 2020 A briefing session will be held on Wednesday for potential respondents to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s request for information for power generation solutions that can be “grid connected in the shortest time at the least possible cost”. The responses will be used to inform a... →

Eskom: No performance bonuses – only 13th cheques

By: News24Wire 7th January 2020 Eskom has hit back at reports that it is paying R1.8-billion in performance bonuses saying it has not paid any performance bonuses in the past two years, nor has it applied to the national energy regulator to allow for R1.8-billion in performance bonus pay. The power utility on Tuesday morning... →

Eskom breakdowns are shrinking slowly, Koeberg unit back online

By: News24Wire 7th January 2020 Eskom is not expecting load-shedding on Tuesday, with unplanned breakdowns down to 13 694MW after reaching almost 16 000MW over the weekend, which triggered stage two load-shedding. Eskom has not managed to keep unplanned breakdowns at below 9 500MW - the level at which it is forced to consider... →

Govt must protect rail infrastructure, PRASA assets – Mosebenzi Zwane

By: News24Wire 7th January 2020 Appropriate measures must be taken to protect rail infrastructure and all assets belonging to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), transport portfolio committee chairperson Mosebenzi Zwane said after 24 carriages in Bloemfontein were set alight. News24 reported on Sunday that 24... →

No rolling powercuts scheduled for Tuesday – Eskom

By: African News Agency 7th January 2020 South Africa is not expected to experience rotational power cuts on Tuesday although the system remains constrained, State-owned electricity utility Eskom said. Eskom, which implemented load-shedding several times last year and again on Sunday to ease pressure on the grid due to inadequate... →

Eskom mulls new maintenance strategy that would leave 5 000 MW gap for two years

By: Terence Creamer 6th January 2020 The Eskom board will, before the end of January, consider a new approach to the maintenance of its ailing coal fleet – one premised on creating more time and space for intensive maintenance and repair, whereby the utility makes a firm commitment to only a minimum level of supply that falls well... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer

South African power cuts dim business activity in December

By: Bloomberg 6th January 2020 South African business activity fell to the lowest level in 14 months in December due to the deepest power cuts yet. A Purchasing Managers Index compiled by IHS Markit fell to 47.6 from 48.6 in November, the London-based data analytics company in a statement on its website. →

Sanco wants lifestyle audit for Eskom executives

By: African News Agency 20th December 2019 The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in the North West on Friday called for lifestyle audits for former Eskom executives. This follows the arrest and court appearance of two senior managers from the power utility and two businessmen on allegations of money laundering, fraud and... →

Sanco wants former executives like Brian Molefe and Matshela Koko (pictured) to subject themselves to a lifestyle audit.

South African Airways has a reasonable chance of rescue - specialist

By: Reuters 20th December 2019 South African Airways (SAA) has a reasonable chance of being saved from collapse, the specialists appointed to turn around the State-run carrier said on Friday. Les Matuson, the business rescue practitioner charged with assessing the prospects of rescuing SAA and 10 000 related jobs, and his... →

Treasury says working to step up timeline for Eskom restructuring

By: Reuters 20th December 2019 South Africa's National Treasury said on Friday it is working to accelerate plans to restructure ailing power utility Eskom after ratings agency Fitch opted to keep the sovereign credit rating on hold, with a negative outlook. "National Treasury, in partnership with the Department of Public... →

Police arrest two former Eskom managers for fraud, corruption

By: News24Wire 19th December 2019 Former Eskom head honchos Abram Masango and France Hlakudi have been arrested on charges of fraud, corruption and other alleged offences. The charges partly stem from alleged kickbacks of more than R30-million that Tubular Construction CEO Tony Trindade and the company’s former chairperson, Mike... →

Acsa ‘charting a fresh course’ with new CEO

By: Creamer Media Reporter 19th December 2019 The Airports Company South Africa has announced the appointment of Nompumelelo Mpofu, currently the director-general in the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency, as its new CEO. Her appointment would take effect from February 1, Acsa said this week, noting that Mpfo... →

Nompumelelo Mpofu

No load shedding expected, but it still remains a possibility, says Eskom

By: Simone Liedtke 18th December 2019 No load shedding is expected on Wednesday, State-owned power utility Eskom confirmed. This is owing to a decrease in demand during the holiday period alongside the return of some generating units to the service. →

Mantashe says DMRE moves with ‘necessary speed’ on IRP implementation

By: Simone Liedtke 17th December 2019 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe on Tuesday hit back at criticism about the implementation of the Integrated Resources Plan 2019 (IRP 2019), which was promulgated in October. “We have moved with the necessary speed to ensure the implementation of the IRP, particularly given... →

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

DA demands independent forensic audit of Eskom

By: African News Agency 17th December 2019 The Democratic Alliance on Tuesday called for a "full independent forensic audit" of state power supplier Eskom. "Given the dire state of power utility Eskom, the effect on the economy and the lives of ordinary citizens, the Democratic Alliance hereby calls for a full independent forensic audit... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer

South Africa should use all available energy resources, Minister says at coal event

By: Simone Liedtke 17th December 2019 Secure and reliable energy supply is a catalyst for economic growth and development, especially within the South African context, says Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who highlights that an energy mix that uses all available resources is required to bring certainty to the... →

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

South Africa to push UAE on failure to ratify extradition treaty

By: Reuters 17th December 2019 A South African delegation will meet officials in the United Arab Emirates to discuss why the country has not ratified an extradition treaty, South Africa said on Monday, as it tries to investigate a case of alleged influence-peddling. The treaty, ratified by South Africa in November 2018, could... →

Atul Gupta, one of the three Gupta brothers South Africa wants extradited from the United Arab Emirates.

Minerals Council joins calls for govt to ensure increased electricity self-generation

By: Simone Liedtke 13th December 2019 The Minerals Council South Africa has welcomed the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE’s) statement that it is committed to the development of adequate generation capacity to meet electricity demand in the interests of economic growth. However, the council said the industry... →

Eskom continues load-shedding as unplanned breakdowns affect 12 000 MW of capacity

By: African News Agency 13th December 2019 South Africa's electricity company Eskom said on Friday unplanned breakdowns at its plants were affecting just under 12 000 megawatt of generating capacity, forcing it to burn diesel and use water from pumped storage schemes to augment its base load. "Load-shedding will be required all day to... →

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