Apart from accepting we’re a failed state, what can be done?

The light at the end of Eskom’s tunnel is going to go on and off forever, in two-hour instalments. It’s no longer just a case of temporary load shedding – this will be with us indefinitely.

That’s the bleak conclusion after yesterday’s briefing from the power-less utility.

Energy policy expert Anton Eberhard said: “It will get worse as the addition of new power lags the failure of Eskom’s coal plant.”

ALSO READ: This graph shows the hourly load shedding distribution during 2022

What has happened to all the grandiose plans to allow private power producers to feed their excess electricity into the Eskom grid? If it is happening, it’s on a minute scale. And, by now, we can see the reality that no one involved in sabotage or other skulduggery at the parastatal is ever going to be brought to book.

There’s a lot at stake for the criminal syndicates who feasted at the state capture banquet and they will not easily give that up.

ALSO READ: More than 140 days of load shedding and Eskom doesn’t have money to burn diesel anymore

Apart from accepting that we’re a failed state, what can be done? As someone suggested on social media this week, the government should consider allowing individuals and small businesses to claim the cost of generators and fuel against tax. The same should hold for renewable energy systems. That would ease some of the pain.