EDITORIAL: SA sick of being kept in the dark
South Africans still have no real idea what the Eskom turnaround plan contains, how well it is being executed, or how long or how intense the current electricity outages are likely to be
Let’s not mince words: severe, prolonged load-shedding would be a disaster for SA’s economy. It’s hard to imagine anything more damaging than the government failing to keep the lights on. Six months ago, SA was thought to be on the cusp of a revival, with most economists forecasting growth of about 1.5% this year. Since then, the consensus has fallen steadily. After the latest bout of load-shedding, it’s doubtless closer to 1%. The economy could probably negotiate further stage 1 and 2 load-shedding without too much difficulty (we’ve certainly had enough practice), but if SA experiences severe, extended load-shedding, in a replay of 2008, we’ll be lucky to escape a recession this year.
PODCAST: Listen to expert commentary on the issue...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.