As Heritage Month draws to a close, Eskom remains a part of South African heritage, its Group Chief Executive Phakamani Hadebe said on Friday.
“As an organisation that has been the cornerstone of South Africa’s economy, we continue to pride ourselves on our heritage of powering the nation,” said Hadebe.
The power utility said its set on ensuring universal electricity by 2020.
“We are forever mindful that electricity is a key enabler driving the economy, education, social cohesion and individual and collective aspirations. This is why we are taking the goal of achieving universal access so seriously.”
Heritage Month is commemorated annually in South Africa, with Heritage Day having first been celebrated in the country since 1996.
The power utility said at the dawn of electricity in 1994, only 36% of South Africans had access to electricity.
To date, there are less than 300 000 un-electrified houses in Eskom’s area of supply, and this figure excludes growth and informal settlements.
Eskom said 90% of South Africans now have access to electricity, and 80% of those in rural areas have been electrified through the Integrated National electrification programme.
The majority of the electrification programme is now being implemented in more remote and deep rural areas, where the construction of the network infrastructure is challenging, on difficult terrain and therefore expensive.
“To date Eskom has electrified in excess of 5 million households, with plans to electrify 180 000 households per year for the next 3 years. Eskom is as much a part of South Africa’s heritage as our power lines and power stations are part of the South African landscape,” said Hadebe. – SAnews.gov.za
