Eskom too big to fail, says World Bank
SA thought to have run out of space to use macroeconomic policy to promote economic growth
Eskom is too big to fail and the government has little option but to restructure its debt, World Bank country director Paul Noumba Um said at the release of the bank’s economic update for SA on Tuesday. “This is a case of being too big to fail. The SA economy cannot afford to allow Eskom to fail. The way forward entails a debt-restructuring aspect and the company becoming more efficient,” said Noumba Um. Eskom has suggested that the government take over R100bn of its R419bn debt to reduce the burden of interest repayments and put its finances on a more sustainable footing. A task team set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa is considering the company's options and is to report soon to the cabinet on proposals. Included in the package will be proposals on debt, tariffs, cost savings and the restructuring of the energy sector. Noumba Um said the Eskom debate was going “in the right direction, because all aspects are being looked at, including the sector”. The update projected GDP growth f...
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