Eskom
Eskom is South Africa's state-owned electricity utility and the dominant power generator in the country. The company supplies approximately 90% of South Africa's electricity and is one of the largest utilities in Africa by generation capacity. Eskom operates a fleet of coal-fired, nuclear, hydroelectric, gas turbine and pumped-storage power stations, with coal-fired generation forming the backbone of its capacity. The utility is headquartered in Johannesburg and employs tens of thousands of people across its generation, transmission and distribution operations. Eskom has faced significant operational and financial challenges in recent years, including ageing infrastructure, maintenance backlogs, high debt levels and governance issues. These difficulties have led to recurring periods of loadshedding, during which the utility implements rolling blackouts to prevent a total grid collapse. The company's performance is critical to South Africa's economy, as reliable electricity supply underpins mining, manufacturing and other energy-intensive industries. Eskom was established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission and has undergone several restructurings and reforms over the decades. The utility remains a focal point of South Africa's energy policy debates and economic planning.
Eskom Updates
SA: Cyril Ramaphosa: Address by South African President, official launch of the revised White Paper on local government (22/10/2026)
Updated 3 hours ago Local government is the sphere of government closest to the people. From the biggest metro to the smallest village, it is where the promise of... →
Response to the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement
Updated 4 hours ago This is the 32nd year since we began our hard-won transition from the apartheid regime in 1994 and the 30th year since the 1996 tangent, the... →
Minerals Council welcomes fiscal progress, calls for accelerated structural reforms
By: Martin Creamer 21st October 2026 The Minerals Council South Africa welcomes the commitment in the 2026 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) to fiscal sustainability and... →
DA sets five priorities for MTBPS
21st October 2026 Since February, interest rates have gone up twice, the economy shrank in the second quarter and unemployment has risen to 33.6%. Tomorrow’s... →
DA urges public comment on draft Bill to stop ‘unfair’ electricity price hikes
By: Thabi Shomolekae 20th October 2026 The DA has invited the public to submit comments on its new draft Bill aimed at stopping what it says are unfair electricity price hikes, with the... →
Ekurhuleni secures approval to procure 2 400 MW from IPPs weeks before election
By: Terence Creamer 19th October 2026 The City of Ekurhuleni in Gauteng, which is a key manufacturing and logistics hub, has secured a Section 34 Ministerial determination under the... →
Govt investment needed to drive growth, after national finances stabilised – Mavuso
By: Schalk Burger 19th October 2026 While South Africa has stabilised its national debt and finances, government needs to invest its budget to drive growth in the country, says... →
Kusile Pollution: SCA Orders Eskom and Regulators to Act
19th October 2026 In a recent ruling, Topigs Norsvin (Pty) Ltd v Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd and Others, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) considered whether pollution... →
Daily Podcast – October 15, 2026
By: Halima Frost 15th October 2026 Making headlines: ConCourt rules in favour of ANC over candidate lists; Eskom revamps its strategy as monopoly fades; And, Kenya raises fuel prices... →
#LGE2026 FACTSHEET: what the data tells us about electricity access in South Africa
By: Africa Check 15th October 2026 South Africa’s electricity grid has been more stable in recent months, but ageing local infrastructure and rising costs mean the country’s... →
