South Africa’s Electricity Minister says the country is closer to ending daily power cuts as warmer weather returns towards the end of the year.
Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was however unable to give a specific date when the power cuts will end. South Africa is on course to see its most blackout days in history this year, with daily power cuts extending to almost 10 hours a day, affecting businesses and households in an economy already hobbled by high-interest rates and inflation.
Last month, the Central Bank said the power cuts, called loadshedding locally, are expected to shave off two percentage points from GDP this year.
Blackouts have eased in the past few weeks but there is fear that as the Southern hemisphere winter takes a deeper hold in July and August, higher heating demand could trip many power plants.
Source: VOA