Minister Ramokgopa Apologises to Businesses as Load Shedding Returns

South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has publicly apologised to businesses for the unexpected return of load shedding, calling it a major disruption to the economy and quality of life.

Speaking to media on Tuesday, Ramokgopa admitted the latest power outages were the result of poor planning and delayed generation unit recoveries, as Eskom reintroduced Stage 2 load shedding between 4pm and 10pm daily until Thursday, May 15.

“We have reached that red line again,” Ramokgopa warned, referring to blackout levels similar to those seen in 2023 — the worst year on record for power cuts in South Africa.

Load Shedding Returns Amid Unplanned Breakdowns

The minister attributed the current outages to unplanned breakdowns and a delay in returning key generation units to service. Eskom, South Africa’s embattled power utility, is once again under pressure as the winter peak season begins.

Eskom’s CEO Dan Marokane said the utility is working on a day-to-day basis to assess the grid’s stability, with the aim of restoring power as soon as possible.

Economic Impact and Accountability

The return of blackouts has reignited fears within the business community. According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the 2023 load shedding crisis cost the South African economy an estimated R2.8 trillion.

“This represents a failure on our part to manage our planning systems and suppliers,” said Ramokgopa. “We haven’t delivered on our promise to shield the public and businesses from power cuts.”

He said the Department and Eskom were now implementing “consequence management” and that general managers at power stations were being held accountable.

Steps Forward: Koeberg and Maintenance Priorities

Despite the setback, Ramokgopa struck a cautiously optimistic tone. He noted that South Africa is entering the 2025 winter season in a stronger position than last year.

All Koeberg nuclear power station units are expected to be online by July. “We won’t eliminate outages completely,” he said, “but we must bring them down to a manageable level.”

The minister said Eskom was aggressively addressing its maintenance backlog, with a renewed focus on aligning repair schedules with energy demand.

Encouraging Signs Amid Ongoing Struggles

Recent data from Statistics South Africa showed a slight increase in electricity generation—up 1.1% year-on-year in March 2025. While modest, this growth signals early signs of stability in a power sector that has long struggled to meet national demand.

Still, Ramokgopa acknowledged that recurring blackouts have shaken public and investor confidence. “This has caused a major disruption on business and quality of life,” he said. “I do not want to stand before you again with the same apology.”

{Source: IOL}

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