The most severe power cuts ever experienced in South Africa are threatening food and water supplies and disrupting the lives of millions of people, including chicken farmers.
In the poultry industry, electricity outages have forced factories to pause round-the-clock operations for as long as half a day at a time. As a result, over 10 million birds designated for slaughter are still alive and consuming feed, creating a backlog that companies fear they won’t be able to fix.
This is just one example of how the energy crisis is roiling the continent’s most industrialised economy.Over the last 15 years, Eskom, which provides 90% of South Africa’s electricity, has kept its grid from collapse through load-shedding when it has been unable to meet demand. These planned blackouts mainly affected mining operations and heavy industry until last year, when they became much more widespread.
Some of the country’s biggest food retailers, Shoprite and Woolworths, have increased investment in standby generators, rooftop solar panels and refrigerated trailer trucks. But smaller businesses haven’t had opportunities to adapt. The Sowetan addressed a cover story to President Cyril Ramaphosa that listed dozens of small companies “crippled by every failed promise to fix Eskom”.
In Cape Town, at the height of holiday tourism season, public warnings were issued to avoid beaches closed due to sewage spills after wastewater pumps broke down. To avoid these kinds of situations, the city initiated plans last year to procure renewable energy from independent producers.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
11 Farm attacks, 3 farm murders in South Africa, 1 - 15 January 2023 - South Africa Today11 Farm attacks, 3 farm murders in South Africa, 1 – 15 January 2023 SouthAfrica via SATodayNews
Read more »
South Africa’s energy crisis becoming an everything crisisWater and food supplies under threat, as businesses and households buckle under the pressure of load shedding.
Read more »
Energy crisis is seeping into South Africa’s food supplyThe most severe power cuts ever experienced in South Africa are threatening food and water supplies and disrupting the lives of millions of people, including chicken farmers.
Read more »
Businesses in South Africa to get load shedding reliefPlans underway to grant energy relief to small businesses in South Africa.
Read more »
Maverick News: New law planned to accelerate power capacity in South AfricaThe National Energy Crisis Committee, a body run by the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa, expects record power outages to ease as measures put in place, including a new law to fast-track plant development, take effect.
Read more »
South Africa plans new law to speed up power projectsSouth Africa is developing new legislation to speed up energy projects to add generating capacity and help end power cuts, a presentation by the country's energy crisis committee showed.
Read more »