Event report

Back To | Economic Review by the Regional Economic Department from the French Embassy in South Africa

Last night on the 6th of July 2023 the French South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry along with the Regional Economic Department hosted the economic review, where members and non members  gathered to take a deep dive into the energy crisis faced by SA.

Bertrand FURNO took us through the structural issues faced by Eskom and as a result some of the consequences ordinary citizens have faced, such as increased road safety issues, the subsequent struggles of the retail industry from constant load shedding, how our pollution levels have increased because we’ve come to rely more and more on diesel and the negative effect this has had on the  health of many South Africans

Pierre Finot took us through some of the solutions that have already been put in place such as partnerships between the government and private sector, many of those being French and South African companies. The sun and wind being harvested for renewable energy was also explored and discussed as a solution, one that some private citizens have already implemented by getting solar panels installed in their homes. South Africans reducing their energy consumption at home was also identified as a major factor that could help alleviate the pressures faced by Eskom.

We’d like to thank our speakers for leading the event and those who attended and engaged for making the discussions and networking session worthwhile.