How South Africa plans to accelerate power capacity

The National Energy Crisis Committee (Necom), a body run by the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa, expects record power outages to ease as measures put in place, including a new law to fast-track plant development, take effect. 

The committee, of which several cabinet ministers are members, told business and labour leaders on Monday a range of interventions have been made. 

“As these measures take effect, the supply of electricity will significantly improve,” the committee said in a presentation sent to Bloomberg by Ramaphosa’s office. 

The government has faced sharp criticism after power cuts were imposed on 205 days last year and every day in 2023.

Ramaphosa cancelled his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to hold crisis talks with Eskom, labour groups and business.