Eskom: Cyril Ramaphosa confirms talks have begun with Botswana to sell excess electricity

After completing his presidential visit to Botswana, South African president Cyril Rasmaphosa has confirmed that talks to source power from the neighbouring country have begun.

Addressing the media through a press briefing, Ramaphosa said the Southern African nation has shown willingness to share excess electricity with South Africa’s power generator, Eskom. 

The sale of excess power is aimed at strengthening economic and trade ties between the two nations.

Ramaphosa was speaking during a media briefing during the conclusion of the South Africa -Botswana Business Roundtable in Gaborone.

“Our quest as South Africa to address our own energy challenges…would be seeking to increase the capacity of our energy by also importing energy from our sister neighbouring countries who have moved up the ladder in terms of having a measure of surplus energy which we would like to tap into, so those discussions have started and we want to proceed with them,” Ramaphosa said.

“They are obviously being driven by Eskom in our own country. So Eskom… is now going to be working on the implementation of that whole package of interventions, and obviously, we will be playing an oversight role.

“We are hoping that through various negotiations, we will be able to tap into energy sources from Botswana as well where there is a measure of surplus energy that they can sell to us.”

The African National Congress leader was on a two-day visit in Botswana and the visit was also part of commemorating 28 years of bilateral economic relations between the two countries.

Latest statistics indicate that SA is Botswana’s number one source of imports, as they amounted to a staggering R64.4 billion in 2021.

The news will come as a massive relief to many South Africans who are suffering from devastating power cuts.