Terence Creamer
Terence Creamer is the Editor of Engineering News and a Deputy Editor for Mining Weekly. He also has editorial responsibility for Polity.org.za and Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa.
Black Friday loadshedding triggered by depletion of reserves and heat-wave demand spike
24th November 2023 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa attributed the “unwelcome” ramp up in the intensity of loadshedding to Stage 6 to a need for Eskom to... →
Light from the tunnel?
24th November 2023 Reform progress in South Africa rarely moves in a straight line from A to B, with the stop/start nature of the country’s electricity reform being a... →
New $1.8bn-plus concessional loan package signed to support JET-IP
21st November 2023 South Africa has confirmed the signing of three new policy loan agreements – worth more than $1.8-billion – in support of the country’s Just Energy... →
IPG confirms increase in just energy transition funding to $9.3bn
20th November 2023 The enlarged International Partners Group (IPG) has reaffirmed its commitment to extend concessional funding to South Africa in support of the... →
Language of incumbency
17th November 2023 Two recent Eskom publications are heavily laden with the language of incumbency, which continues to go unchecked by a policymaker distracted by... →
Eskom says Koeberg Unit 1 being started as another resumption target is missed
15th November 2023 Eskom reports that it has received permission from the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) to restart Koeberg Unit 1, but has once again missed a... →
Bill outlines broad ‘energy value chain’ mandate for State petroleum company
14th November 2023 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has released a draft Bill for public comment outlining the establishment of the South African... →
South African unions to launch just transition labour research centre
10th November 2023 Four South African trade union federations have come together to launch a just transition research centre to develop the technical expertise to... →
End of the beginning
10th November 2023 News that 67 municipalities that collectively owe Eskom R56.8-billion, or 97% of the municipal arrear debt of R58.5-billion owed to the utility at... →
Eskom’s Hex battery the first of eight utility-scale projects being deployed across four provinces
9th November 2023 Eskom has officially started operating the first of eight utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects being introduced as part of... →
Activation of loss and damage fund at COP28 a ‘critical global solidarity moment’ – Creecy
8th November 2023 Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has welcomed the agreement ahead of COP28 regarding the operationalisation of the... →
Pension pay-outs to Transnet execs involved in inflated breathalyser-straw procurement interdicted
8th November 2023 Pension pay-outs to two former Transnet executives linked to fruitless and wasteful expenditure of R33.5-million arising from the acquisition of a... →
Cabinet likely to consider freight logistics roadmap in February - Ntshavheni
6th November 2023 The Department of Transport is undertaking a two-part consultation programme on the Roadmap for the Freight Logistics System in South Africa ahead... →
Ramaphosa seeks lengthy and inclusive Agoa extension to stimulate investment, regional value chains
3rd November 2023 South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the US Congress to approve an early and “sufficiently lengthy” extension of the Africa... →
Power in policy
3rd November 2023 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has never disguised the fact that he believes that Eskom could be turned around and... →
Transnet urged to engage before presenting a R100bn bail-out ‘invoice’
1st November 2023 Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has not “closed the door” on Transnet’s move to secure a reported R100-billion in balance-sheet support to assist... →
Municipalities owing Eskom R56.8bn apply to participate in debt write-off scheme
1st November 2023 The National Treasury has confirmed that a total of 67 municipalities, which collectively owe Eskom R56.8-billion, or 97% of the municipal arrears... →
No plan to review use of Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account
1st November 2023 The National Treasury has confirmed that there is no immediate plan for a review of the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account... →
Municipalities approved for Eskom debt relief could rise to 67 – Eskom
31st October 2023 Eskom’s head of distribution Monde Bala reports that Eskom and the National Treasury are hoping that the number of municipalities participating in... →
Eskom warns of another R23bn loss as loadshedding underpins R24bn collapse
31st October 2023 Eskom has warned that it is likely to report another R23-billion-plus loss for its current financial year to the end of March 2024, having... →
TP Nchocho appointed chair of inaugural TNPA board
30th October 2023 Outgoing Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) CEO Tshokolo Petrus (TP) Nchocho has been appointed chairperson of the inaugural Transnet... →
US trade chief Tai set to travel to South Africa for Agoa Forum
27th October 2023 US Trade Representative Katherine Tai will travel to South Africa from October 31 to November 4, during which she will co-chair the 20th Africa... →
Win-win solution
27th October 2023 As outlined previously in this column, it makes sense to place exports at the heart of South Africa’s upcoming Green Hydrogen Commercialisation... →
‘Open and transparent’ third-party rail access system by April
26th October 2023 State-owned freight logistics group Transnet has confirmed that an open and transparent framework for granting private train operating companies’... →
Transnet’s recovery plan premised on securing govt capital injection
26th October 2023 Absent an equity injection or debt relief from government, Transnet chairperson Andile Sangqu says the State-owned entity will not be able to... →
$1bn World Bank loan to support South Africa's energy reforms and decarbonisation
25th October 2023 The World Bank has approved a $1-billion Development Policy Loan (DPL) to support market reports under way in the country, as well as South... →
Eskom targets 1 000 MW as it launches cross-border standard purchase offer
24th October 2023 South Africa’s electricity utility Eskom is aiming to contract for 1 000 MW of additional electricity imports from it regional neighbours using a... →
‘Height of folly’ to develop overreliance on aged coal plants for future supply
23rd October 2023 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says attention should shift to adding new and cleaner generation to the loadshedding-prone electricity... →
Still no solution
20th October 2023 For decades now, the issue of the debt owed by municipalities to Eskom has not only remained an intractable problem but one that has grown in both... →
Systems in place for recoding of 6.8m prepaid meters ahead of Nov 2024 deadline – Eskom
19th October 2023 Eskom insists its systems and strategies are in place to facilitate the seamless operation of the 6.8-million prepaid meters within its... →
Cabinet approves Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy
19th October 2023 Cabinet has approved the Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy (GHCS) for implementation, with the goal of positioning South Africa as a major... →
Ramaphosa says loadshedding corner has been turned as another Kusile unit restarts
17th October 2023 African National Congress President Cyril Ramaphosa claims that South Africa “has turned a definite corner as far as loadshedding is concerned”,... →
Why export?
13th October 2023 When the topic of green hydrogen arises in South Africa, two concerns are commonly raised, and these will remain significant issues to address... →
Only 28 of the 136 munis owing Eskom R58bn-plus approved to participate in write-off scheme
10th October 2023 Only 28 municipalities have to date been given approval by the National Treasury to participate in the Eskom Municipal Debt Relief Support... →
Kusile Unit 3 supplying 720 MW to grid, Eskom confirms
9th October 2023 Eskom has confirmed that Unit 3 at the Kusile coal-fired power station is currently providing 720 MW into the electricity grid using a temporary... →
‘Instrument’ being studied to open rooftop solar to poorer households
9th October 2023 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says that work is under way on the creation of an “instrument” that will allow poorer households to... →
Noxious trade-offs
6th October 2023 The decision by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy to uphold a decision of the National Air Quality Officer (NAQO) to... →
Pace of energy transition will define South Africa’s economic prospects – Olver
5th October 2023 Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) executive director Dr Crispian Olver says South Africa’s energy transition and the pace at which it... →
As Kusile unit returns early, South Africa misses renewables procurement deadline
1st October 2023 Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has welcomed the earlier-than-expected return of Kusile Unit 3 coal-fired generation, but has also... →
JET pledges rise to $11.9bn as South Africa moves to finalise implementation plan
29th September 2023 The South African government has received additional pledges, worth nearly $3.5-billion, in support of its Just Energy Transition Investment Plan... →
Solutions vs problems
29th September 2023 There are many differences between Australia and South Africa, and these should not be dismissed or diminished. However, there are also several... →
