How Eskom handles power crises: 1950s, 70s, and now

thanks for the info question so all the ones from 1957 still active ?
 
They weren't just wrong. They were told they'd be wrong and still ignored it.
 
There is also a huge misconception that other races were excluded from having electricity pre-1994.

The truth is that everyone who were willing to pay for it, had it.

If any business just gives away its products for free it won't be in business for very long. This is why they excluded areas where even today residents prove that they are not willing to pay for it. Hence the current crisis.

Of course it was not all this cut and dried, and severe transgressions were indeed made by the previous government in this regard, but to make it seem that the lights only came on after 1994 - so to speak - is totally wrong.
 
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"The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) warned the Mbeki administration in 1998 that the next decision about building additional electricity generation capacity would have to be taken by the end of 1999"

It was not Mbeki administration but Mandela administration, when Mbeki apologised in 2008 and said 'we were wrong' he was talking as a collective.
 
CuppaJoe said:
There is also a huge misconception that other races were excluded from having electricity pre-1994.

The truth is that everyone who were willing to pay for it, had it.

If any business just gives away its products for free it won't be in business for very long. This is why they excluded areas where even today residents prove that they are not willing to pay for it. Hence the current crisis.

Of course it was not all this cut and dried, and severe transgressions were indeed made by the previous government in this regard, but to make it seem that the lights only came on after 1994 - so to speak - is totally wrong.
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Lies, Most rural areas were excluded and only started having electricity after 1994 and in my village first homes to have electricity had to pay to be connected and 2 years later everyone was connected for free and they only had to pay for usage.
 
Dlamaqhinga said:
Lies, Most rural areas were excluded and only started having electricity after 1994 and in my village first homes to have electricity had to pay to be connected and 2 years later everyone was connected for free and they only had to pay for usage.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing that.

Some idiots just don't believe this.
 
Dlamaqhinga said:
Lies, Most rural areas were excluded and only started having electricity after 1994 and in my village first homes to have electricity had to pay to be connected and 2 years later everyone was connected for free and they only had to pay for usage.
Click to expand...

Not saying you're wrong, just pointing out the fact that the keywords probably are 1) rural and 2) village.

CuppaJoe's statement that people incorrectly love to say the lights only came on after 1994 isn't wrong either, some idiots just don't believe that the apartheid government had more than 80% of Soweto electrified by the late 70's already.

By 1976 Soweto had only two cinemas and two hotels, and only 83% of houses had electricity. Up to 93% of residents had no running water.

wiki
Click to expand...

We all know apartheid screwed blacks (like the running water statement shows) but be honest & fair in your comments.
 
Dlamaqhinga said:
"The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) warned the Mbeki administration in 1998 that the next decision about building additional electricity generation capacity would have to be taken by the end of 1999"

It was not Mbeki administration but Mandela administration, when Mbeki apologised in 2008 and said 'we were wrong' he was talking as a collective.
Click to expand...
Mandela 1994-1999
Mbeki 1999-2008
It was the Mbeki administration. Mandela was on his way out although ANC is ANC. Would have needed to be Mbeki administration that implemented it which they didn't.

Dlamaqhinga said:
Lies, Most rural areas were excluded and only started having electricity after 1994 and in my village first homes to have electricity had to pay to be connected and 2 years later everyone was connected for free and they only had to pay for usage.
Click to expand...
Bull. Eskom was still rolling out so haven't gotten to all the rural areas yet but there were vast stretches where they were covered. Nobody was excluded apart from perhaps villages. Can't really expect them to cover areas that don't make financial sense. Imo they should have continued to stay far away from areas that can't pay but we know that would not have sat well with the new "take for free" government.
 
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