Eskom: Plunging us into Darkness?

ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTED: Earth Life Africa
Greater Cape Town Ratepayers Assoc. Councilor D. Joseph
PR Councilor L.Jordaan
City of Cape Town
Allenby Neighborhood Watch
Retreat Residents Association
Greater Retreat Youth Forum
Workers’ World Media Productions
People for Life
LOGRA
LOFOB
SHAAL Flats Association
New World Foundation
Community Policing Forum
Lavender Hill Neighborhood Watch
Retreat Steenberg Civic Association
Langevlei Civic Association Steenberg Civic Association
South Peninsula High School
Christian Benevolent Society
Hopes Sanctuary
Women Hope 4 the Nation
Gender Steps
 

Speakers:

Mr. Muna Lakhani
An internationally renowned Black South African whose areas of expertise include Zero Waste; Environmental Impact Assessment/Public Participation; Energy; Toxics; Policy Development; Environmental Economics; Local Economic Development; and general research. He presents papers at various local, national and international fora, from New Zealand to California. He has also advised members of various governments, and government processes, such as Norway, Australia and others.

Mr. Frank Van der Horst
A passionate, outspoken Environmentalist, Academic and Social Activist who is also a former President of the South African Council of Sport. A man who possesses a keen insight into the subject of Electricity and Power in the South African context.
 

Cape Town TV (a free – to – air community TV service providing 24 hour programming to an average of 1.2 million viewers in the Cape Town and greater metropolitan area) recorded proceedings, which will be aired on The Workers’ World Labour Show at a time to be confirmed. Workers’ World addresses the key issues affecting working people.

Up until 1994 Eskom ran the show fairly well however after 1994 millions of people came onto the grid resulting in a huge drain on the system. In 1998 Government appointed the Electricity Commission which called for the construction of new power stations and warned of electricity shortages as early as 2007, but none were built in the period 1998 – 2008. This 10 year gap of no new development has cost the country dearly. The old power stations have a 40 to 50 year life span after which they become decommissioned, a reality which we are experiencing now.

Profit motive on the part of government turned former cheap electricity surplus into costly shortages (outages).In 2008 the grid nearly collapsed resulting in higher tariffs and the installation of costly pre-paid meters. Despite the NERSA guidelines for tariff increases, local municipalities add approximately 15%, to the cost, which widens the gap between rich and poor. In South Africa about 9 million people in full time employ carry about 98% of the economy. Blackouts cost billions to industry and the country. 30% of the population is without electricity, whilst many connect illegally. “South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, where the top 20% of the population earn 62.2% of national income and the lowest 20% earn only 3.5%.

There is a huge anomaly though which sees ordinary citizens paying 68.5c per kilowatt hour compared to huge corporations that pay between 12c and 19c per kilowatt hour. Foreign investors come in with “blackmail clauses” that sees them reimbursed for electricity consumption.

South Africa with only 50 million people is the 14th largest Green House Gas emitting country in the world and the biggest in Africa. Eskom and SASOL are the greatest carbon emission polluters in the country, contributing to global warming, climate change, water shortages, acid water and air pollution.
Koeberg Nuclear plant generates about 32 tons of long life nuclear waste per year. It stores 800-850 tons of high quality dangerous nuclear waste on site just 45km away from Cape Town. Low medium quality nuclear waste, encased in concrete is stored underground at Vaalputs in Namaqualand.

The Department of Energy’s long delayed planning commission, created a highly controversial Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for new power projects to 2030. It was deeply flawed and heavily criticized by civic associations, trade unions and Environmentalist groups. The IRP committee was dominated by senior executives and professionals from large energy user cartels with vested interests.

Renewable wind is cheap, abundant in coastal areas but turbines generate intermittently at only 25% average capacity due to wind fluctuations, with the best wind speeds being 45 to 60 km per hour. Hydro electric and wave power resources are negligible in South Africa. The discovery of new oil and gas fields in Mozambique and offshore in Namibia are creating new possibilities. Solar power is clean, non polluting, limitless, cheap renewable energy. Initially solar power is more costly than burnt fossil fuels but costs will decrease rapidly in medium to long term, with social, health, environmental and economic benefits.

Dependant on technology, South Africa could double its electricity with wind power that is on land only. With a focus on job creation, nuclear power creates 0.5 jobs per kilowatt hour; wind creates 18 jobs and solar 35 jobs per kilowatt hour. Wind turbines that are currently operating at 70% output will produce 100% output in 3 years time.

Earth Life Africa conducted research on free basic electricity, especially those on the prepaid system and came to the conclusion that 200 kilowatt hours of free basic electricity, was needed to enjoy a decent quality of life.

Future Strategies

• We must build a principled working class on a united front (not treacherous popular front), with grass roots involvement against this deep rooted social crisis.
• We must call for the eradication of corruption, moral decay, poverty elimination, removal of social class inequalities, pollution, and wastage and health hazards.
• We must demand participatory democracy, corporate accountability and Ethical Leadership.
• Practice transparency, sound governance, right to recall corrupt elected political representatives who violate voters’ public policy mandates.
• Introduce high standard, modern, free, compulsory education.
• Build links to similar principled international movements, especially in Africa, for global support, united struggles and genuine social equality