Eskom has a new ten-point plan to address problems identified in recent reports on how to tackle South Africa’s energy crisis. This includes the VGBE report, an independent assessment of operations at Eskom’s coal-fired power stations released on March 1.
Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced the plan at a media briefing on Monday, 11 March.
The plan incorporates recommendations from the VGBE report, along with other recent evaluations, including a 2022 World Bank report, an Eskom board report, and the minister's own assessment conducted upon his appointment.
A review of recommendations from these various entities identifies three critical areas for improvement, says Ramokgopa: management and infrastructure processes, operating systems, and mindset and morale. Eskom has developed ten focus areas in its new improvement plan based on these themes.
The initial areas of focus prioritise maintenance and resolving defects at new power plants like Kusile and Medupi as well as skills development within the organisation. Ramokgopa acknowledged the concerning trend of personnel leaving Eskom: “Over time there has been a haemorrhage of highly skilled people.”
The plan also emphasizes reducing Eskom's reliance on external parties and achieving greater self-sufficiency. The minister expressed confidence that Eskom’s new CEO, Dan Marokane, would be instrumental in this effort.
Additionally, the plan tackles fraud and corruption, which Ramokgopa identified as a major hurdle “undermining Eskom’s ability”.
The plan will also focus on improving the management and quality of coal in the country. The VGBE report highlighted that the central management of the country’s coal fleet gives limited authority to plant management, who face red tape in decision-making processes.
The minister also acknowledged the need to reduce red tape in terms of policies and procedures to expedite procurement and enable a quicker acquisition of necessary goods and services.
Finally, the minister referred to Eskom’s need to improve its environmental impact as many power stations have been found wanting with regards to compliance, he said.
