{"id":236465,"date":"2022-12-28T10:12:09","date_gmt":"2022-12-28T09:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=236465"},"modified":"2022-12-28T10:12:10","modified_gmt":"2022-12-28T09:12:10","slug":"south-africa-unraveling-army-called-in-to-protect-coal-plants-after-sabotage-theft-and-200-days-of-rolling-blackouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=236465","title":{"rendered":"South Africa unraveling: Army called in to protect coal plants, after sabotage, theft and 200 days of rolling blackouts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By JoNova<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spare a thought for our friends in South Africa where the most advanced economy in Africa has quietly notched up 200 days of load shedding in 2022<\/a> and things are about to get worse. They have had power shortages for the last 15 years, but nothing like this. The country was at level six load shedding last week in a system where level 8 is the worst. Two thirds of the customers are losing power for 6 to 8 long hours a day. It\u2019s wreaking havoc with small business. How is a bakery supposed to bake<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a sorry tale of a civilization unraveling on every edge. On December 16, the grid shifted from Stage Four to Six after eight (8!) power generating units \u201cbroke\u201d down in one night<\/a>. After that, the Army was called in to protect the coal plants from sabotage, theft and vandalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is corruption at every level. The poor were stealing electricity with hot-wired connections<\/a>, while the middle income rent-seekers were sabotaging infrastructure so they could be paid more to fix the damage. At the high income end, auditors are finding fraud, while evidence is being set on fire. International courts are bagging business-men for bribery and just weeks ago slapped a $315m fine on one caught doing deals with a high ranking Eskom executive.<\/a>  \u201cThese are not victimless crimes!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As if that isn\u2019t enough, there are rumours that the best coal is being shipped to Europe while low grade material is slipped into the local supplies, which adds to the maintenance woes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This convoy of coal trucks is apparently en route to Richards Bay for export to Europe. Rumour has it that high grade coal, intended for Eskom power stations, is being exported after being illegally swopped for low grade coal! A heist of 'Steinhoff' magnitude in plain sight? \ud83d\ude16. pic.twitter.com\/cWz1ftUJ5S<\/a><\/p>— LeafIS (@UbuntuReg) December 16, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>