South Africa grappling with an unprecedented energy crisis that has resulted in daily power cuts of between eight and 11 hours across the country.
The grid is on the brink of collapse, and maintenance issues, sabotage, diesel shortages, aging infrastructure, and corruption seem to be the order of the day. Despite all this, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) was ready to grant Eskom an 18.65% tariff increase for April and a further 12.74% hike for 2024 until it was halted by the President. The damage to small and large businesses is immeasurable; investors are no longer looking at the country as a viable investment destination, unemployment levels continue to escalate, and the cost of living continues to rise. It is an unprecedented crisis for a leading economy on the continent.
President Cyril Ramaphosa canceled his planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos to deal with the crisis as he did in September last year when he cut short his US and UK trip to face SA’s power crisis. There is a need for a robust national plan that is clear on transitioning from carbon to more modernised systems that will ensure our power system is sustainable, affordable, and reliable. The need for the procurement of new generation capacity, acceleration of independent power producer (IPP) programmes, and the easing of distribution generation regulations and new legislation have become more urgent.
Join us online for a robust discussion with industry experts on:
- The ongoing energy crisis.
- The impact of load-shedding on small and big businesses.
- Distribution generation regulation and legislation.
- Just Energy Transition (JET).
Moderator - Dr Marius Oosthuizen
Dr. Marius Oosthuizen has a vast field of expertise as a futurist, academic, consultant, and facilitator. Having travelled to over 40 countries worldwide and dual master's degrees in strategic foresight and social and political ethics, as well as a PhD in leadership, Dr. Oosthuizen is uniquely placed to address executives in government, business, and civil society. He holds the position of director of scenarios at the World Energy Council (WEC) and director for learning at the School of International Futures (SOIF), both in London. As an adjunct faculty member of the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), he teaches the annual Mastering Strategic Foresight elective on the executive MBA.
Confirmed speakers:
- Tshepo Kgadima - Independent Economic & Energy Analyst; and
- Matthew Cruise - Solar Energy expert
Date: Thursday, 9 February 2023
Time: 16h00 - 17h30
