The position Eskom is taking by trying to stop the optimal use of power self-generation in the town of Frankfort in the Free State is typical of the ANC government’s centralist approach – and independent power producers will fight it, even if it requires going to the Constitutional Court.
Underinvestment, poor procurement and skills drain plague Eskom Garner says the industry is not surprised by Eskom’s position. “This may be the last push to retain control and is in line with Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s centralist move back to the use of old coal power stations.” He asks how Eskom can be allowed to prevent IPPs from exercising their constitutional rights while failing to execute its own constitutional mandate.
In terms of Cipolla’s Stupidity Theorem, this puts Eskom in the Bandit quadrant, also known as the Actively Harmful group.