SA stopped Zimbabwe power exports 'months ago'

South Africa stopped supplying electricity to its northern neighbour Zimbabwe "several months ago", the chief executive officer of state electricity firm Eskom told Reuters on Tuesday.

Jacob Maroga said there was no political motive behind the shift. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has long been criticised by a string of western countries, particularly after the opposition pulled out of a June presidential election run-off citing violence.

"It is simply a contractual issue," he told Reuters in an interview in London. "They had been paying for their electricity in advance. They simply stopped making new orders."

Click to expand...

Syndyre said:

I wonder if they're telling the truth this time?

Click to expand...

Generator Man said:

Take 25% truth
25% propaganda
25% lies
25% idiocy

Stir vigorously.

Divide in half, and you are probably 25% closer to the truth

Works well when dealing with statements from Eskom.

I'm still trying to grasp yesterday's newspaper headlines where Eskom declared that GP has 550MWh of reserve electricity, and last night/earlier this eve's TV warnings showing a dial deep in the red and "OMG!?!? SWITCH OFF YOUR GEYSER, LIGHTS, TV, APPLIANCES AND EVEN YOUR INVERTER'S CHARGER ELSE WE'LL MELT DOWN!?!??!" warnings.

Click to expand...

Syndyre said:

I personally wonder if the main reason for their red warnings etc. is to minimise use of their expensive peak power plants to maximise profits and therefore bonuses.

Click to expand...

Generator Man said:

I rather think that their claims that everything is so hunky dory is to justify their huge bonuses by convincing people that they saved the nation from darkness, while the real truth is that they are bordering on disaster and are only being saved by importing huge amounts of power, and cutting off neighbouring states.

Click to expand...