The struggle for affordable, clean reliable power continues behind the scenes

AS ORDINARY South Africans struggle to access clean, reliable, and affordable power, essential for a decent life and a functioning economy, a deeper, more entrenched power struggle continues behind the scenes.

- THOMAS GARNER

Over the coming weeks in this column, I will unpack this struggle and explore why South Africa continues to fail in establishing an efficient, effective electricity industry.

We will examine the forces blocking progress and consider what a more functional energy future could look like, for the country and for the region.

At its core, the power struggle is internal to the ANC. It is a contest between competing factions: between those committed to honest governance and those who enable patronage, corruption, and capture.

It is also a struggle between those who support centralised state control of the economy, and those advocating for a more open, accountable, and decentralised system.

The dominance of centralising forces, often corrupt and politically motivated, has led to state-owned entities, regulators, and oversight bodies becoming vehicles for power consolidation rather than service delivery.

The result is familiar: institutional decay, private capital sidelined, and the majority of South Africans increasingly marginalised.

This political dysfunction is a root cause of South Africa's electricity crisis. Without access to stable power, the economy cannot grow. Without growth, the tax base shrinks, the fiscus remains under pressure, and unemployment rises. The situation is exacerbated by a more isolationist United States and a weakening global economy, but the internal failures are primary.

Consider how this unfolded.