The Slow Newscast  cover image

Blackout: Coal, corruption and cyanide

The Slow Newscast

00:00

The State of South Africa Is on the Brink of Collapse

Last year there were 200 days of load shedding. That's a planned blackout that can take everything offline for up to 10 hours a day. Without power, factories shut down and restaurants turn away customers. Escom has 14 power stations that run on coal, providing nearly all of South Africa's power. But the company has been short of money to service them as it struggles to collect the billions it's owed by municipalities.

Transcript
Play full episode

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app