How incompetents switched off South Africa's electricity

It is the year 2008, and suddenly there is not enough electricity to power the country. All major business districs and house holds are switched off for two hour blocks at a time, in the form of rolling black-outs throughout the entire country.





This is now starting to happen several times a day.





Business comes to a stand still as computer networks are disrupted...
Traffic grid locks as traffic lights in entire areas stop functioning...





How did this come about ?





Before the advent of democracy (rougly 13 years ago), South Africa had such a major electricity surplus that it mothballed 3 power stations, and still managed to export electricity to neighbouring countries.





So how did South Africa suddenly (and according to the politicians: "Unexpectedly") run out of electricity.





Lets look at the facts:





* In 1998 a goverment whitepaper was presented to parlament predicting that South Africa would run out electricity by 2007 if immediate action is not taken (build more power stations). Nothing was done.





* In 2002 the electricity regulator fined Eskom (the national power utility) for gross negligance for how it is managing the country's electricity supply





* Electricity demand is not difficult to predict. Ten years ago the ANC said it was targeting 5-6% economic growth rate, which was roughly what transpired. Electricity growth CORRELATES near perfectly with GDP growth. Thus any high school kid armed with a calculator can predict future electricity demand.





Therefore there exists no other explanation for this dire situation: Gross Incompetence.





The major changes that occured in the Government and at Eskom in the past 13 years of democracy:





* White politicians from the old order have been replaced by ANC people (almost all non-white)





* Massive sections of Eskom's white management has been replaced by black management in order to comply with governments affirmative action laws.





It does seem enterresting that South Africa always had excess electricity. Then it replaced all the white faces with black faces. Then 10 years later the country runs out of electricity.





What are the effects ?





Two weeks ago the single largest ever foreign direct investment into South Africa was cancelled because there is not enough electricity to support the project (R 22 Billion)





Several platinum projects were also placed on hold.





I predict that South Africa will loose in the region of R 200 billion in foreign investment over the next 5 years as a direct result of this.





Eskom has said that it will take at least 5 years for the problem to be rectified, whilst independant experts place it at 7-10 years.





In one fell swoop irreparable damage has been done to the SA economy.

References

Eskom tells mines to shut down

Electricity shortage a national emergency

WARNED 10 YEARS AGO OF ELECTRICITY CRISIS

Lack of electricity now blackens the economy

Electricity crisis worsens, mines close

http://www.sabcnews.com/features/eskom/

Where does the blame for load-shedding really lie?



-------------- One last happy thought...

Whats the difference between the TITANIC and SOUTH AFRICA ?

?

With the Titanic, the lights were still on, when it sank!