Warning that energy crisis could 'collapse' Durban business sector
The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry has sounded the alarm over the country's protracted energy crisis.
The chamber's president Prasheen Maharaj says if left to continue at its current trajectory, not only will more businesses will face closures, but there will be no city in which to conduct business.
Maharaj spoke at the eThekwini Municipality's Energy Transformation Summit at the Durban ICC.
"According to the recent budget speech by the Minister of Finance, record levels of load shedding were experienced in 2022. Two hundred and seven days of load shedding compared to 75 days in 2021."
READ: eThekwini wants to be Eskom-free by 2035, says Kaunda
"Surely there needs to be a change. One cannot do the old thing and expect new results. That's the height of insanity."
He said on the electricity distribution front, there are four problems that need to be solved.
"Aged equipment - many of the substations, transformers and other distribution networks were installed in the 70s and 80s and have not been upgraded. Lack of informed and scheduled preventative maintenance.
"Lack of timeous restoration and replacement of key equipment post the April 2022 flood damage. Crime, this includes the theft of cable and deliberate sabotage of infrastructure."
