Lack of energy supply in the post-independence African state is neither new nor unique to South Africa. Indeed, the percentage of households with access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa is the lowest in the world. What is unique about the case of South Africa is that this energy crisis was identified as early as 1998. The then Minister of the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME), Penuell Maduna, stated in December 1998, that, “Eskom’s present generation capacity surplus will be fully utilised by about 2007”. Reinforcing this view, Maduna’s deputy, Susan Shabangu, stated that “energy is the life-blood of development”. The 1998 White Paper on the Energy Policy of the Republic of South Africa explained that Eskom predicted an energy demand growth of 4.2%. It outlined the state of South Africa’s energy sector in 1998, and warned that although 2007 seemed like a long way off, there was a need to put solutions in place so that the needs of South Africa’s growing economy could be met.

By 2004, then President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, stated that there was a need for at least two new power stations. Eskom was granted permission to expand energy production by 70% in 2004. Medupi and Kusile coal-fired power stations were conceived around 2007. Not only are the two power stations considered the worst performing units at Eskom, but are also said to have some design defects. Since 2007, South Africa has experienced at least five distinct periods of load-shedding: 2007-2008, November 2014-February 2015, February 2019-March 2019, December 2019-March 2020, and March 2021 to date. As of 2019, the South African power station maximum generating capacity has been coal (83%), pumped storage (6%), gas (5%), nuclear (4%), hydro (2%) and wind (0.2%). The provision of electricity is as such ranked among the most important challenges that the country faces today. The May 2023 Afrobarometer dispatch notes that, “The provision of electricity ranks third among the most important problems that South Africans want their government to address, cited by 32% of respondents as one of their three priorities, trailing only unemployment (52%) and crime/security (38%)”. Almost nine in 10 South Africans (87%) say the government is doing a poor job of providing a reliable electricity supply”.