Black Business Council optimistic about Eskom turnaround

The Black Business Council says it is optimistic that Eskom will turn the corner as public confidence is slowly being restored in the power utility’s board.

This comes after a full day without rolling blackouts on Tuesday.

Eskom implemented stage two rolling blackouts with effect from 5am on Wednesday morning. Stage three will kick in at 4pm.

Some energy experts say the country is not yet out of the woods. But the council’s CEO Kganki Matabane says it is important to appreciate the slightest improvement in generation capacity.

“We need to celebrate small aspects so that we can encourage the Eskom employees to do better and to do more. When you don’t have good leadership at the end of the day, you are not going to resolve issues. Employees are not happy, management is not happy, everyone is not happy. You cannot have a performing organisation if you don’t have proper leadership. The board has done extremely well. We think we are on the right path,” Matabane says.

Electricity Minister is taking steps to address rolling blackouts

Meanwhile, the power utility says it has completed the removal of a 320-ton steam generator at its Koeberg Power Station’s Unit One in Cape Town, as Eskom works to extend Koeberg’s lifespan by another 20 years.

Eskom spokesperson Daphane Mokoena says, “The Koeberg team will now move on to remove the remaining two steam generators to install three new ones. Mokoena says Unit One will remain out of service while work is being completed. She says Unit Two has continued to operate safely and will undergo its steam generator replacement later this year.”