South Africa is grappling with severe energy supply issues as Eskom, the state-owned energy provider, imposed strict load shedding measures following numerous power plant failures. On February 22, Eskom escalated the outage management plan to Phase 3, resulting in 3,000 megawatts being cut from the national grid.
Recent troubles at key power stations including Majuba and Camden prompted Eskom's announcement of rolling blackouts. Dan Marokane, Eskom's CEO, confirmed on Sunday, "Out of the 10 units we lost overnight, we have restored six." He added, "We expect five to six units to be operational within the day, yielding additional capacity of 3,200 MW recovered overnight." Plans to exit the current power outage phase by the end of the week have been hinted, with potential reductions to outages announced for the following Monday, February 24.
The frequent breakdowns of Eskom’s aging coal-fired plants, which are responsible for the majority of electricity supply to Africa's most industrialized economy, have underscored the crisis management challenges the company faces. Eskom operates on multiple stages of load shedding, where Phase 1 equates to a reduction of 1,000 MW, and Phase 6, the most severe to date, strips the grid of considerably more power.
On February 23, just one day later, electricity shortages spread across large portions of South Africa, sparking more public frustration. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Minister of Energy, spoke candidly during a press conference, where he, along with Marokane, apologized for the massive outages. He stated, "A setback. Unacceptable. We understand your anger, your disappointment, your grievances. We are going to solve this problem." These comments were broadcast live across various television channels, showcasing the government's acknowledgment of the crisis.
Ramokgopa underscored Eskom's recent announcement about reduced power supply, indicating it would last "until otherwise notified," due to multiple failures at three coal power plants. Eskom had invoked Stage 6 load shedding—a level where power cuts can occur up to 12 times over four days, with each outage lasting up to four hours. At this stage, Ramokgopa expressed confidence, stating the government believed the plan devised over the past year would eventually eliminate electricity rationing through maintenance and new power installations.
The persistent electricity outages pose not only immediate inconveniences but present structural limitations to the economic development of South Africa, hindering foreign investments. Interestingly, this crisis coincides with visits from high-ranking G20 diplomats to South Africa, raising concerns about the country’s ability to sustain international engagements under such conditions.
Despite previously limited outages implemented late January, when Eskom facilitated around 99% uptime between April 2024 and early February 2025, the situation took another paralyzing turn with the government admitting there is still much work to be done to stabilize the power grid.
The scale of the crisis highlights significant challenges for Eskom, which generates over 80% of its electricity from coal, seeking to transition to greener energy sources under mounting public and governmental pressure. Financially overburdened by past corruption and mismanagement, Eskom is left with crippling debt. Issues such as facility maintenance negligence, theft, and vandalism have driven South Africa's energy crisis to the forefront.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), a prominent partner within the national unity government, expressed concerns over the containment of load shedding, emphasizing South Africa’s reliance on Eskom as its primary electricity supplier is untenable under current managerial conditions. "The significance of these rationings showcases South Africa's inability to depend on Eskom to provide electricity efficiently," the DA stated, pointing to the urgent need for alternative solutions.
Against this backdrop, the public grapples with uncertainty as Eskom attempts to stabilize the situation. The local populace continues to voice dissatisfaction through protests and social media, demanding accountability and effective solutions to avoid future outages. It’s clear the roadmap to recovery for Eskom—and by extension, South Africa’s economy—will depend heavily on swift and strategic action from both Eskom leadership and government officials, particularly under mounting pressure from the public and international community.