The privitisation of the electricity industry in South Africa

Abstract

Since about 2007 there have been ever increasing power cuts across South Africa coupled with sharp increases in tariffs that end up hurting producers and consumers alike and these problems are still ongoing in 2010. The objective of this treatise is firstly to identify the events that lead up to this energy crisis, because prior to 2007 South Africa had more than enough electricity to sustain its economy and provide electricity to the public. Also the treatise looks at alternative solutions to conquer this crisis, with its main objective to investigate whether privitisation or part privitisation of the electricity industry could be a solution available to South Africa.