Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
13 August 2025 | 15:05 CAT

📷 Experts urge private-public partnerships to expand electricity access and end energy poverty in South Africa, highlighting the role of both large-scale and household solar projects.

South Africa faces the risk of leaving millions in the dark unless urgent measures are taken to scale up affordable electricity supply, warns Professor Vally Padayachee, power and energy expert and former executive manager of Eskom. He emphasizes that private-public partnerships could play a pivotal role in stabilizing costs, expanding generation, and addressing energy poverty nationwide.

Speaking on Radio Islam International, Professor Padayachee explained that “until recently, we were at a significant load-shedding in the country. And then in July 2022, the president created the National Electricity Crisis Committee. One of the five pillars of that committee was to roll out solar PV projects, wind projects, renewable projects, including solar rooftops.”

While some progress has been made, Padayachee notes that South Africa is still far from ideal. “So, as we stand now, we’re not doing too well in that we will not get back to the level of load-shedding that we had previously,” he said, praising current collaborations with the private sector to roll out renewable energy projects.

The professor highlighted the need for large-scale projects, those capable of bringing “mega-electrons” onto the national grid but acknowledged the challenges of high capital costs. He also stressed the importance of smaller-scale contributors. “The President is keen that the small generator, the prosumer, like you and I, if we can put even under one megawatt onto the grid, that will help a lot. We’ve got about 5,000 to 6,000 megawatts on the national grid currently.”

Households and small businesses can benefit financially from these systems. Padayachee explained, “You can recover the cost of your capital investments and the cost to consume by selling back to either Eskom or to the municipality for almost the same price as you’re buying the electrons.”

Addressing rural electrification, Padayachee stressed that microgrids are key. “The government is encouraging and will fund, to a certain level, the installation of microgrids. There’s still about 1.6 million people in South Africa that do not have access to electricity. They mainly come from the rural areas.”

Professor Padayachee concludes that while load-shedding has eased in urban areas, the country must accelerate private-public partnerships to meet energy demands and ensure equitable electricity access for all South Africans.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Professor Vally Padayachee.