From Fin24. Story by Jeff Wicks.

Load shedding is now a thing of the past, South African President Jacob Zuma said Friday to staff at state power utility Eskom’s Megawatt Park in Johannesburg.

During his state of the nation address, Zuma announced that the government will provide support to a range of state-owned companies while also implementing the reforms that would make them more effective in delivering on their mandates.

Load-shedding

Eskom faced a slew of operational challenges, averting major power outages and load shedding for nine consecutive months.

During his visit, Zuma met with the country’s power station managers, toured Eskom and addressed the parastatal’s staff.

“We are close to finish(ing) a year without load shedding,” he said. “I am going to tell people there will never be any load shedding.”

Zuma referred to a presentation he saw that gave him confidence.

“I wanted to run out in the street and say we have won, and I am told that soon we will have surplus energy to sell.”

Read more at  Fin24.