Politics

South Africa’s electricity minister, Ramokgopa calls for urgency in fixing blackout

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2023

South Africa’s electricity minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has asked that the country promptly address its recurring power challenge which is hitting its economy hard.

The minister made the call ahead of a cabinet decision later this month on his proposals to end the worst power blackouts on record.

“Continued high levels of load-shedding (power cuts) … penalise the South African economy and it causes untold injury to the poor, and our ability to attract investment,” he said in the Union Buildings, the seat of government.

“I am presenting to the cabinet and they will make that determination (on how to address the power crisis) at the end of the month,” he added.

Grid constraints, according to Ramokgopa, are throttling some already-built renewable energy projects and putting new projects in jeopardy.

According to the minister, another set of interventions that the cabinet would consider include Eskom investing more in the coal mines from which it purchases coal to ensure higher-quality supplies, and allowing Eskom to buy directly from original equipment manufacturers rather than intermediaries.

State enterprise, Eskom Holdings which is South Africa’s primary electricity supplier, generates approximately 90% of the electricity used in South Africa and approximately 30% of the electricity generated on the African continent, but has been struggling over poor financing.

The National Treasury has granted the enterprise 254 billion rand ($13.81 billion) of debt relief over the next three years but that has not resulted in power stability.

Related Topics:Eskom Featured South Africa

Click to comment

Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

4 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.