Embracing Independence in South Africa's Energy Crisis
Navigating Load Shedding and Seeking Self-Sufficiency in Turbulent Times
Hello dear subscribers and welcome to another newsletter from South Africa Insight!Â
First and foremost, we hope you all will have a fantastic weekend. But before you start enjoying your time off, let's talk a little bit about a recurring "guest" in our lives - load shedding, as we know it here in South Africa.
You might have already guessed it, but on Saturday, we will be experiencing a whopping 11.5 hours of load shedding. It's been daily load shedding for over a year now, and it only gets worse. It started with just two hours a day, and now we are up to half a day!
While we face these challenges, we still have our sense of humor to help us get through. Here's a little joke to lighten the mood: Why did the South African cross the road? To get to the other side before the load shedding started!
Joking aside, the ongoing load shedding is a significant concern for all of us living in South Africa. Our daily lives are disrupted, businesses suffer, and the overall quality of life is impacted.
The government seems incapable of dealing with this situation, which can be attributed to a combination of factors. These include their own policies, such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which prioritizes race over competence when it comes to recruitment, and rampant corruption within the government.
As a result of this failure, many South Africans with the means to do so are taking matters into their own hands. They're turning to alternative energy sources like solar power, inverters, and diesel generators. Unfortunately, this means that citizens must invest further to secure their own power supply, even though they're already paying for the electricity infrastructure through taxes.
In a recent statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa added insult to injury by claiming that the government is not constitutionally obligated to provide South Africa with power.
Despite these challenges, there is an upside to becoming more independent from the state. This shift towards self-sufficiency has the potential to foster innovation and ultimately reduce the nation's dependence on the failing government infrastructure.
We will continue to keep you updated on the load shedding situation and other important topics here at South Africa Insight. We appreciate your continued support, and as always, we wish you a great weekend, even if it's in the dark for half a day!
In times like these, it is crucial to stay positive and adapt to the circumstances. Together, we can embrace the change and use it as an opportunity to build a brighter and more sustainable future for our people.
On a related note, we're excited to announce that we're currently editing a mini-documentary about the town of Orania, which strives for independence and is focused on creating their own solutions. This story will be open for everyone to watch, but our paying subscribers will receive a special bonus: a digital photo (coffee table) book featuring the town of Orania, which we are diligently working on at the moment.
If you are not already a paying subscriber, consider upgrading your subscription to support our work and enjoy the exclusive Orania photo book when it is completed. Your contribution truly makes a difference, and we appreciate your ongoing support.
Wishing you all the best, and I'll be in touch with more insights and stories soon. Take care!
Jonas Nilsson