South Africa has seen 150 days without load shedding as Eskom continues to strengthen the grid to keep the lights on. The power utility has managed to maintain a constant electricity supply throughout the winter period with no load shedding since the start of the current financial year in April. The improvement has been attributed partly to the Generation Operational Recovery Plan aimed to boost the energy availability factor. Eskom appears to […]
By Rachel Mohamed President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Electricity Regulator Amendment Bill which sets out far-reaching reforms for the country’s energy sector. This includes establishing a ‘competitive’ electricity market and hopefully reduced energy costs. Speaking on VOC’s News Beat show on Monday Chairman of the Electricity Resellers Association of South Africa Johan Hopley described the amendment bill as a “new dawn in South Africa as it has […]
By Kouthar Sambo Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has cautioned South Africans not to get too comfortable as load shedding is not behind us just yet. Speaking on VOC's PM Drive on Monday, an energy expert, Chris Yellend, confirmed that South Africa has a sufficient reserve margin. "There is no room for complacency as we may still experience intermittent load shedding, but the worst is over. The National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM), […]
Eskom in the Western Cape said that the introduction of pop-up customer service offices in Cape Town communities was an effort to improve its customer service. This comes after the community of Khayelitsha expressed unhappiness about the closure of the power utility's walk-in customer service office in the township. Residents also complained that the pop-up offices had no customer service urgency as they only came from time to time. Eskom's Kyle Cookson has […]
By Loushe Jordaan Gilbert The City of Cape Town is requesting for Eskom in Western Cape not to permanently close its community service hubs. Mayoral committee member for Energy, Beverley van Reenen said the permanent closure of service hubs without adequate measures in place for all communities will affect access to electricity services for many Cape Town residents. “The city believes the permanent closure of service hubs could not only […]
With the country marking 30 days without load shedding, Eskom forecasts that power cuts will be limited to Stage 2 during winter. On Friday, the power utility's executives briefed the media at Eskom's headquarters, Megawatt Park, about its operational performance and the outlook for winter. During last year’s cold season, South African households were subjected to high load shedding stages due to increased electricity demand. But Eskom CEO Dan Morokane […]
By Lee-Yandra Paulsen South Africans have recently enjoyed an unprecedented run of almost 20 days without load shedding, a rare period of uninterrupted power supply. The national power utility, Eskom, has attributed this achievement to the sustained availability of generation capacity and emergency reserves at its power stations. Energy Analyst, Chris Yelland, has provided further insight into this extended period without load shedding. Addressing conspiracy theories surrounding the absence of […]
By Ragheema Mclean In early 2023, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) approved a substantial 33.77% tariff increase, to be implemented over two years. The increase was front-loaded, with 2023 experiencing a 18.65% hike, while tariff rates for 2024 will rise by 12.74% come the 1st of April. Speaking to VOC News, residents on the Cape Flats have voiced their disappointment, citing the already high cost of living. […]
By Lee-Yandra Paulsen The University of Cape Town, renowned for its academic excellence and commitment to ethical leadership, finds itself embroiled in controversy following an unexpected invitation extended to former Eskom executive, Matshela Koko. Koko, whose tenure at Eskom was tainted by allegations of corruption and fraud related to a substantial contract at the Kusile power station, has been invited to lecture final-year students on "ethics and professionalism." This decision […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
