Stage 6 loadshedding for South Africans while Eskom sells electricity to neighbours

6 July 2022

Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbite by Ghaleb Cachalia MP.

In the last month, South Africa has experienced one of the worst periods of rolling blackouts in its history. Stage 6 loadshedding has crippled both large and small businesses, families are sitting in the dark with some already without food and unable to stay warm.

Analysts estimate that these rolling blackouts cost the South African economy between R500 million and R700 million per stage, per day.

Whilst South Africa has been in its darkest period these past few years, Eskom has continued selling and supplying neighbouring countries with electricity – electricity which could have reduced stages of loadshedding for ordinary South Africans if that supply was kept here.

According to Eskom’s Integrated Annual Report for 2021, a total of 15 189GWh and 13 497GWh was supplied to neighbouring countries in 2020 and 2021, respectively. It does not seem fair that the ANC government is supplying other countries with electricity at the expense of South Africans at home.

The DA will be writing to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, and Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, to explain to the people of South Africa:

Whether Eskom currently has any contracts in place for the sale of electricity to any other country, during the 2022 and 2023 financial years; and

If so, how much power do they supply annually?

If it is found that they are continuing to supply other countries with electricity while South Africans sit in the dark, they must tell us how these contracts are affected, if at all, when there is insufficient supply on home soil.

Issued by Ghaleb Cachalia, DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, 6 July 2022