Eskom | There’s simply no fixing the 100-year old company as it is

[View in browser]( [Mail & Guardian]( M&G Mornings | Wed 01 Mar   Eskom in its current form cannot be fixed. There aren’t many companies as complex as Eskom to run in this country and in the world. It has some 12 ageing coal-fired power stations in Mpumalanga that are nearing their end of life and considered relics of a bygone era that aren’t investable anymore. But these relics are the backbone of the country’s entire electricity grid, without which South Africa’s already deindustrialising economy would grind to a halt overnight. At all costs, Eskom’s chief executive and board need to keep the lights on and what that ultimately means for a company with such ageing infrastructure is spend, spend and spend some more on keeping those boilers going. That would be fine if Eskom’s balance sheet was in good shape but without a capital injection from its shareholder and tariffs that don’t reflect the costs of maintaining the plants and the build of two additional plants to better meet demand, it has proved impossible without the help of a tightfisted treasury. Its individual coal plants, companies in their own right, spread across Mpumalanga, Free State and Limpopo have become feeding fodder for engineering giants and the political opportunists they sponsor. What a tale to tell. Over the coming days and weeks, the Mail & Guardian will report on and analyse what we’ve termed the End Game in the long saga of Eskom. Happy reading … Ron Derby | Editor-in-Chief [@RonDerby]( [Chris Hani cabal comes to Ramaphosa’s rescue in cabinet reshuffle]( The president has asked Eastern Cape ANC chair Oscar Mabuyane to add Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to the province’s parliamentary list Join thousands of South Africans who want a more just South Africa. Read past party lines, past the bluster and the distortion. Get the best reporting, analysis and commentary that is factual, balanced and fair with uninterrupted access to all Mail & Guardian content online. Plus - Preferential access to Mail & Guardian events - Get daily conversation starters straight into your inbox - An invitation to join the newsroom’s Review session on Friday mornings - Lend your expertise and experience to the stories we tell [// Read more]( Articles labelled as Premium are only available to subscribers. [CLICK HERE]( to subscribe Already a subscriber? [SIGN IN HERE]( [A grid collapse or blackout would be catastrophic, says Andre de Ruyter in court papers]( The maligned former Eskom CEO challenged the notion that it was foolish to shut ageing power stations and focus on procuring more renewable capacity Join thousands of South Africans who want a more just South Africa. Read past party lines, past the bluster and the distortion. Get the best reporting, analysis and commentary that is factual, balanced and fair with uninterrupted access to all Mail & Guardian content online. Plus - Preferential access to Mail & Guardian events - Get daily conversation starters straight into your inbox - An invitation to join the newsroom’s Review session on Friday mornings - Lend your expertise and experience to the stories we tell [// Read more]( Premium [Democratic Alliance moves motion for ad hoc committee to probe Eskom corruption]( The party says the committee should have the power to summons witnesses Join thousands of South Africans who want a more just South Africa. Read past party lines, past the bluster and the distortion. Get the best reporting, analysis and commentary that is factual, balanced and fair with uninterrupted access to all Mail & Guardian content online. 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Plus - Preferential access to Mail & Guardian events - Get daily conversation starters straight into your inbox - An invitation to join the newsroom’s Review session on Friday mornings - Lend your expertise and experience to the stories we tell [// Read more]( Pic of the day 100 years, but how many more will the Eskom flag be flying in South Africa? (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images) [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Mail & Guardian Media LTD · 25 Owl St · Braamfontein · Johannesburg, Gauteng 2001 · South Africa