A grid collapse would mean chaos

Michael Bagraim writes that if we have a grid collapse, this can mean weeks of no electricity which, in turn, will mean no communication by any electronic media, including cellphones and email. Moreover, water reticulation and sewage will come to an end, and even those who have inverters will find they are useless after a day or two. EPA/NIC BOTHMA

Michael Bagraim writes that if we have a grid collapse, this can mean weeks of no electricity which, in turn, will mean no communication by any electronic media, including cellphones and email. Moreover, water reticulation and sewage will come to an end, and even those who have inverters will find they are useless after a day or two. EPA/NIC BOTHMA

Published May 21, 2023

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With reference to “Burn diesel worth R30 billion or collapse the economy” (Cape Argus, May 11).

This is a scary statement in that the minister of electricity acknowledges that we are close to a grid collapse. He is saying that if we do not keep Eskom going with diesel at an enormous expense, the entire economy will collapse.

This is tantamount to saying we will have a grid collapse first.

If we have a grid collapse, this can mean weeks of no electricity which, in turn, will mean no communication by any electronic media, including cellphones and email.

Moreover, water reticulation and sewage will come to an end, and even those who have inverters will find they are useless after a day or two.

It will be interesting to hear what the government ministers will say when they have no electricity in their homes. At this stage, the ministers are not expected to suffer any load shedding as they have all been fitted with costly top-of-therange inverters.

All our government ministers have none of the hassles of the ordinary citizens of South Africa. A grid collapse will mean they will have the same problems as the rest of us.

* Michael Bagraim, Highlands Estate.

** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.

Cape Argus

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