Escaping the load shedding crisis created the strategic focus needed to implement solutions that have achieved the goal in a relatively short space of time. But did we need to wait for a crisis before we were galvanised into action?

Load shedding has come to an end for the following combination of reasons. First, the energy availability factor (EAF) of Eskom's fleet of coal-fired power stations has risen to over 60%.

Second, a substantial amount of renewable energy has become available via the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the lifting of the cap on embedded generation and the rooftop solar revolution.

Third, the demand for electricity supplied via the national transmission grid is now equal to what it was 20 years ago due to a combination of removal of demand made possible by the increased dependence on renewable energy and, of course, a low level of economic growth.

Back in mid-2022 when the President announced the Energy Action Plan (EAP) in reaction to another bout of Level 6 load shedding, I was one of those who predicted load shedding would be stopped by the end of 2024 if the above combination of conditions came together.

Soon after launching the EAP in 2022, the President made two other moves that changed the ballgame: first, at the request of business he appointed the National Electricity Crisis Committee (Neccom) to coordinate emergency responses; and second, he appointed Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as...