This reads like ESKOM being in the Dwang for the long-term is part of the plan.
Always behind the curve:
We are already crossing the point where gas/diesel generation make any economic sense, and now SA wants to re-invest in it.
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There are tenders for the taking, endless gas supply contracts, gas terminals contracts etc. so there is method behind this….
Groetnis
I don’t even have an issue with that, the fact that opportunities are created. That’s fine. That’s what governments are supposed to do. What is concerning, is who it eventually benefits, and who the big losers are.
My kids are writing exams again. A few days ago was history. And let me be a bit contrary again: I like the approach of the new book. It is vague, and obviously leans a bit away from the side of the story we were taught in school (at least primary school for me, in high school I learned of Jan Jonker Afrikaner, Hosea Kutako and a bunch of other people). But in amongs all that, there are some important admissions.
For example, the book tells the story of the Basotho people and how the split into what is today the Tswana (West Sotho and Sotho (South Sotho) people. So now it is around 1795 and the British have annexed what is today the Western Cape (as far North as where Springbok is today), and to the North they have the Griekwas and other “mixed race” people, and to the North East they have the Tswana people, and as it goes with these things, they are either actively trading (resources, land, protection), or they are at war. The locals actually had access to firearms. They have been trading with the Portuguese (via what is today Maputo) for over a hundred years at this point. Anyway… I digress. The book notes this: That the Chiefs of the tribes often made deals that enriched themselves rather than for the benefit of their people.
Ahem… yeah. That’s been the way of the world forever.
Something new I find amusing right now. Worries that the latest increase in load shedding will affect Black Friday.
Eskom enforces Stage 4 ‘until further notice’ - Moneyweb
Yeah, with the exception of a hand full of stores (Sonop Solar being one), Black Friday has always been somewhat of a lackluster excuse for advertising specials that aren’t really specials. Like… 5% off… if you take two and pay cash! That sort of thing. So I’m not sure if this is really going to make a dent.
I wonder, if the Russians do get involved, and then the ANC is voted out, what will happen when the new Gov pulls out of the deal?
True. But this BF with Eskom “switching things off again”, is perfect timing! 
Other interesting stuff happening: We are getting more spinny stuff for grid stability.
could also be interesting to see the potential battle for control between seemingly two sides where most people think it is only one side
From the article @plonkster posted:
Eskom expects the cost associated with repurposing generators at Camden and Grootvlei to be lower than the purchase of new machines
but
Mantashe, who is a strong supporter of the continued exploration, development and use of fossil fuels in South Africa, has also indicated previously that a new State-owned company could seek to repurpose some of Eskom’s retiring coal power stations to gas in a move that some commentators suggest reflects the Minister’s aspiration to create an ‘Eskom 2.0’…
he (*AdR) had received a request from the CEF to transfer Camden, Hendrina and Grootvlei to the CEF. For its part, the CEF defended its approach to Eskom as a request to intensify gas-to-power collaboration between the two State-owned entities.
source
while:
Cabinet this week stalled Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe’s appointment of Nkululeko Stephen Poya as chief executive officer of the Petroleum and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA) following serious allegations levelled against him…
This week, Mantashe tried to get the cabinet to endorse Poya’s appointment as PetroSA CEO, but the move failed.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni was uncompromising about Poya’s lack of vetting status.
Cogta minister Nkosozana Dlamini Zuma and Dirco minister Naledi Pandor backed Ntshavheni. On Mantashe’s corner were Small Business Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi, and Human Settlements Minister Mamoloko Kubayi.
source
BTW, Poya is the acting board chairperson of PetroSA and Central Energy Fund (CEF) director (source)
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Just a wee bit of TIC…
Our ‘Electrics minister’ was adamant about bonuses for Eskom staff.
And a day or two later stage 4 hits…seems now we have the gauntlet thrown down to negotiate the size of said bonuses 
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The average social media commentator is usually of the opinion that Eskom staff does not deserve bonuses, because as long as there is load shedding, they don’t deserve it.
Personally, I think that approach is way too general. It penalises both the hard-working cleaner and the corrupt manager (who may very well not care about the bonus, he makes enough money on the side already).
Additionally, when you are in the “dwang”, as I hear you guys saying (what an interesting word!), perhaps you should pay your best people to keep them.
So… when it comes to bonuses, it is again a much more complex question as to WHO is getting bonuses.
If top management awards themselves bonuses, I’d say that is pretty cut and dried: You can’t do that. That’s bad optics.
Bad optics never stopped that from happening there in the past!
BonusGroetnis
I know. I’m commenting about how I think we should distinguish between good and bad bonuses.
As an analogy, it is easy to say (with 1.5 beers in the belly, next to the braai) that public sector workers should not get a raise (because of the waste in the state), but it is also easy to forget that your kid’s teachers are public sector workers.
I don’t like what you are saying … but I have to agree.
I don’t know if this “bonus” is actually the 13th cheque paid at the end of November in ESKOM.
Which is a condition of service and part of the agreed salary structure, pretty much a non-negotiable amount, or at least it used to be.
Fiddle with that and there predictably will be industrial action.
Or does this refer to some additional amount on top of that?
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Or does this refer to some additional amount on top of that?
The 13th cheque is normally part and parcel of the contract…bonuses on top of that?
My post was in jest, TIC…pulling the proverbial leg
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Africa is notorious for this given their history of selling slaves to the slave traders.
I was recently in London and what is now noticeable in all their museums is an attempt to set the record straight on slavery. They didn’t import slaves to England but they were involved in the slave trade. The biggest being the growing of sugar cane in the West Indies which needed cheap labour.
That’s another thing I had a discussion with my son with (he was freaked out about not being able to remember all the history and I did that thing my dad also did… just talk about other stuff, other history in this case).
The British did a LOT of bad things where they went. But, they also did some good. They came to India, and immediately outlawed the practice of burning the widow on the same funeral pyre as the husband and his stuff. When they realised they screwed up, they also outlawed their screwups in all their colonies (outlawing slavery), and they were far ahead of the curve when empire-building became unfashionable (unlike, shall we say, a certain federation up north).
Seems not so much TIC anymore …
The part we must focus on … Ramakgopa is not mandated to “give out bonuses” it turns out.
That he …
Here, let me help:
So yeah, seems it has nothing to do with any real “bonuses” … it is populace politicking that I hope will further tick SA off about voting for the ANC … for what, 47m potential voters?
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And in other news …
What was that lady again who also lashed out at the ANC in the meeting AdR had with SCOPA?
Aaah, here it is …