I firmly believe that liberty is a higher right. Even if someone is wrong, even if they are going to shoot themselves in the foot in the process, affording them that right is super important. When people lose (even through circumstances of their own making) these super-important levers, it is a bad thing, even if you and I think it is better (because we get our way, see… and we thought about this long and hard… see… if you just listen to me you will agree in due course!)
Edit: Basically, I read small portions of Aldous Huxley’s “Ends and Means”.
Don’t want the end to justify the means … methinks one must not take away someones right to experience their decisions like say keeping Eskom on at all costs. Voters have earned the right to experience LS when voting seeing that yet again 45.8% (so far) are still voting for the same party that steered Eskom towards oblivion.
At what point does one stop putting liberty before right … right of LS.
Then Zapiro comes with this gem …
The 70% not voting, their right, is probably keeping the current party in power by them not voting for anyone else, so even the 70% having exercised their right is therefore entitled to experience LS.
So back to the topic … with the ANC yet again in power, forced to form alliances/coalitions which do not work as we’ve seen in the past, being even worse for the voters as parties need to “compromise” to “get things done” for their voters, with that infighting coming as par for the course, methinks Eskom is going to have even more troubles coming their way.
Wonder how long before Gordhan and De Ruiter will be forced to move on … as parties form alliances/coalitions to get things done.
There isn’t a successful example of a national grid functioning in Africa. Privatization does have a better track record but where there aren’t profits to be made then it isn’t viable so who picks that straw?
The big metros are capable of generating income from business and residents that allows them to finance services so electricity generation and distribution in those areas should be sustainable.
Looking on the bright side the efficiencies of electrical devices have improved by huge amounts. We are witnessing low voltage DC now powering more and more devices so in countries that don’t have a grid mini grids will appear as the poor relative but this is definitely better than nothing.
Just want to also mention that it shouldn’t be that hard to keep the lights on during elections…
There is some elasticity in the system (very little right now, obviously) as mentioned, but also remember that on election day, everything closes, much more so than on a normal public holiday, which is already lower consumption than normal for businesses. And Eskom would definitely request reduced load from their high-usage customers on concessionary rates.
So I don’t personally think they were really making things that much worse during most of the day, only during the dinner peak, for which the peakers should have has some charge-time during the day.
Nice summary of what can happen, why, and the time it can take to Black Start, which I don’t think would be that short, due to inexperience and probably more damage than anticipated.
Yes, a black start is a scary scenario. A bit like playing electrical Jenga.
One false move and you start again.
But it’s slightly worse than that, you see the first attempt you have water in the top dam and diesel. Not so on subsequent attempts.
It has the potential to be a real doomsday scenario.
I have spoken to people in the know, and months without power nationally was mentioned.
If you are scared of a grid collapse, my advice would be the following.
Identify the place you’re going to go to wait it out.
Enough drinking water for a few days.
Some non-perishable food.
Enough Petrol or Diesel to get to the place you identified.
Keep in mind that others may have similar plans.
For myself, the plan is to actually head across the border into Namibia, go plak a little on a rural farm that has its own water and sanitation. They won’t have much power either, but if I have to wait it out anywhere, that’s where I’d rather be. A full tank and maybe two jerry-cans of Diesel gets me there.
Failing that, I’ll aim for the rural karoo. Own water and sanitation.
But basically, if that happens, I’m taking a holiday. It’s not going to be over soon, and even though I doubt we’ll have zombies roaming the streets (at least immediately), holing up in the city (while telecoms and especially sanitation shuts down)… not my idea of a fun time.
I’m not scared … methinks it is a question of time. I would prefer to be 100% wrong though.
MUCH worse. I don’t think we, living in our bubbles, fully understand the cluster…k we will face even with 1 week of a blackout.
I also know people don’t want to hear nor talk about it, scaremongering, but if we each sit down for a moment and think of the ripple effects of no Eskom on a big scale … it is overwhelming. To make a plan for it all … years of effort and detailed plans are required. Who really has done that?
