In a statement released on Nov 6 following the resignation of the CEO of the state-owned utility, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said he wanted to make public concerns he had shared with the corporation’s management in recent weeks.

“We believe we have a responsibility to God and to future generations to care for this planet – our home – and not to put its well-being at risk because of short-term gain, or the idolatrous pursuit of money,” Archbishop Makgoba said.

On Sept 18, the archbishop wrote to the chairman of Eskom’s board of directors to express “deep concern” with plans to build “yet more coal-fired plants for the production of electricity. This plan of action continues in the face of growing public discourse about the need for South Africa to reduce its release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, a major cause of climate change, and to look seriously at both greater efficiency in energy use and renewable energy sources.”

He asked Eskom and the government’s Minister of Public Enterprises, Barbara Hogan, to give “strong and decisive leadership” on finding a way forward “on energy generation and use.”

Archbishop Makgoba conceded it was “unrealistic” to expect an answer “right now” to the country’s energy needs, but he urged the utility to “consider carefully alternative sources of energy which may ‘seem’ more expensive but which will represent huge savings for our planet – and all who inhabit it.” The Bible speaks of our calling to be stewards of creation, the archbishop said. “May God guide, direct, and bless” government and business leaders “and each one of us, as, in our various capacities – whether professional or personal – we seek to discharge with integrity this responsibility to our environment, our planet” he said.

Statistics released by Eskom show that 89 per cent of South Africa’s primary energy needs are derived from fossil fuels. The country emits about 400-million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year, which represents one per cent of total emissions on the global scale. And, with the advent of new coal-fired electricity-generating stations and new coal- and gas-to-liquids fuel plants, South Africa's emissions are likely to rise still further.

Eskom must soon decide on whether it will build a new coal-fired power station as the country’s growth has outstripped the available power supply.

Speaking at the eighth Coaltrans South Africa conference in Johannesburg in September, the head of Eskom’s planning division Kannan Lakmeeharan said South Africa’s power supply and demand situation would remain tight. Eskom had a generating capacity and the ability to import up to 43.5 GW, but would require an additional 20 GW of electricity by 2020 to meet energy needs.

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