Eskom will only know on Monday, the 31st March 2025, if its application for exemption from minimum emissions standards, will be approved.
Dr Dion George, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, is expected to announce his decision on Eskom.
George said the matter is complex, noting that it requires balancing South Africa’s energy needs to drive economic growth with the constitutional right to a healthy environment.
“South Africa cannot remain trapped in a persistent cycle of energy insecurity and environmental degradation that harms public health. Eskom has consistently failed to meet minimum emission standards and has delayed critical energy reform” said Dr George.
Environmentalists want the government not to grant Eskom unchecked permission to pollute.
“South Africans have had to endure rolling blackouts, rising costs, and economic stagnation as a result of Eskom’s inefficiencies. The government cannot grant Eskom a blanket waiver to continue polluting…”
The Minister views the shift to renewable energy as essential.
“The transition to renewable energy is not negotiable. South Africa’s economic future depends on more renewable energy entering the grid, not less.” He highlighted that dependence on Eskom’s aging coal fleet increases costs and undermines competitiveness, adding, “The world is moving toward cleaner energy, and South Africa cannot afford to be left behind.”
Dr George has also directed Eskom to decommission its worst-performing power stations responsibly.
“Those that fail to meet environmental standards and contribute disproportionately to pollution must be retired in a structured and responsible manner, without leaving anyone behind.”