SA’s economy will not grow unless the electricity crisis is resolved: Trevor Manuel

Phuti Mosomane

Former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel told the Southern Africa-European CEOs that deteriorating infrastructure and electricity crisis are holding back South Africa’s economic growth.

“What is holding us back is the rate at which the infrastructure is deteriorating. The state of electricity in the country shows that we will not grow unless we fix Eskom, and unless we bring renewable energy on board at a faster pace than we are doing at the moment,” said Manuel, adding that this is also the greatest opportunity for the African continent.

Pointing out that the African population is growing faster than the growth of the economy, Manuel said economic growth across sub saharan Africa will be 2.5%. “Unless we engage in this issue in a real way, in the past 8 years per capita GDP has been in decline”. 

He told the Dialogue that the majority of the people on the continent