Darkness falls on South Africa

Policy Study

With analysts blaming the continuous electricity blackouts that have taken place in the country since 2008 for the lower than expected economic growth rate, South Africa continues to suffer from a deep energy crisis. 21 years after the introduction of democracy and continuous rule of the African National Congress, the political mismanagement can no longer be hidden behind a smokescreen of words blaming the past. Technical reality overtakes politicians’ talk. The emerging industrial nation of South Africa joins the world of developing countries, where power cuts are often a daily reality. This paper analyses the underlying causes behind the energy crisis, sheds light on the institutional and political landscape within which this crisis is taking place, and offers a number of specific recommendations as to how these problems can be best dealt with