Eskom is on the right path, political and business interests must not derail its work

South Africa has spent years talking about the electricity crisis as though it were an unavoidable feature of our economy. Load shedding became part of everyday life, businesses were forced to find expensive alternatives, households lived with uncertainty, and Eskom became one of the most politically contested institutions in the country.

But something important has changed.

The conversation around Eskom is no longer simply about whether the lights will stay on. Increasingly, there is evidence that the utility is moving towards greater operational stability. That progress must be protected.

The temptation, particularly in South Africa's highly politicised environment, is to turn every improvement, appointment, procurement decision or operational challenge at Eskom into a political contest. At the same time, powerful commercial interests have a legitimate interest in the country's energy sector — but that interest must never be allowed to dictate operational decisions that should be based on engineering, financial sustainability and the long-term public interest.

Eskom cannot afford to become a battlefield for political factions or competing business interests.

It must be allowed to work.

Stability did not happen by accident

South Africans know how devastating the electricity crisis became.

Businesses lost productivity. Small enterprises struggled to survive. Households had to purchase alternative sources of electricity. Industrial operations were disrupted. Investors questioned the reliability of South Africa's energy infrastructure.

The cost went far beyond the inconvenience of sitting in the dark.

That is why improvements at Eskom should not immediately be dismissed simply because they do not fit a particular political narrative.

There is a legitimate national interest in asking difficult questions about Eskom. There must be accountability. There must be transparency. There must be consequences where there is wrongdoing.

But accountability is not the same thing as interference.

A state-owned utility of Eskom's size requires competent management, disciplined maintenance, proper planning and a long-term operational strategy. Engineers and technical professionals must be able to do their jobs without constantly looking over their shoulders because every decision could become ammunition in a political battle.

Eskom needs consistency, not constant disruption

One of the biggest challenges facing South African institutions is the tendency to replace long-term strategy with short-term political reactions.

Electricity infrastructure does not work according to electoral cycles.

A power station cannot be maintained properly because a politician demands it during a press conference. A generation unit does not become reliable because of a political speech. And the country's transmission network cannot be strengthened through factional negotiations.

These are technical and financial challenges requiring years of planning and consistent implementation.

That means Eskom needs stability.

Where management is performing, management must be allowed to perform. Where executives fail, they must be held accountable. Where procurement processes are compromised, investigations must follow. Where technical mistakes are made, they must be corrected.

But the answer cannot always be to destabilise the institution.

South Africa cannot afford to repeatedly reset Eskom every time political winds change.

Business interests must also know their limits

There is nothing wrong with business engaging government or Eskom. In fact, a functioning relationship between the public and private sectors is essential to solving South Africa's energy challenges.

The private sector has capital, expertise, technology and innovation that can contribute meaningfully to the energy transition.

But cooperation must not become capture.

No company, industry lobby or group of commercial interests should have the power to determine the direction of a national electricity utility simply because it has financial interests in the energy market.

Eskom exists to serve the public interest.

Its decisions must therefore be guided by what strengthens electricity security, protects consumers, supports economic growth and ensures the sustainability of the country's energy system.

The same standard must apply to everyone — whether the pressure comes from politicians, business executives, lobby groups or ideological activists.

Criticism is necessary — but sabotage is not

There is a growing tendency in public discourse to confuse criticism with opposition to progress.

Criticism is healthy.

Journalists must investigate. Civil society must scrutinise. Opposition parties must ask difficult questions. Parliament must exercise oversight. Citizens have every right to demand answers about how public money is spent.

But South Africans should also be mature enough to recognise progress when it happens.

If Eskom is improving operational performance, that should be welcomed.

If maintenance programmes are producing results, that should be acknowledged.

If the electricity system is becoming more stable, the national interest requires us to protect that stability rather than searching for reasons to undermine it.

There is a difference between saying, "We need to understand why Eskom is improving and whether the improvement is sustainable," and saying, "We cannot acknowledge improvement because it benefits people we politically oppose."

The first is responsible oversight.

The second is political tribalism.

South Africa has suffered enough from the latter.

Eskom belongs to South Africa

Perhaps the most important point is that Eskom does not belong to a political party.

It does not belong to a minister.

It does not belong to its executives.

It does not belong to organised business.

And it certainly does not belong to political factions.

Eskom belongs to the people of South Africa.

That means every stakeholder has a responsibility to protect the institution from unnecessary political and commercial interference.

The country's electricity crisis has already cost too much. We cannot afford another cycle in which institutional stability is sacrificed because different groups are fighting over influence.

South Africa needs an Eskom that is technically competent, financially disciplined, operationally reliable and properly governed.

That requires strong oversight — but it also requires space for professionals to do their work.

Let the institution work

The real test of Eskom's recovery will not be whether one political party can claim credit for it.

The real test will be whether South Africans can depend on electricity.

Can factories operate consistently?

Can small businesses plan without fear of sudden power interruptions?

Can hospitals and schools rely on stable electricity?

Can investors have confidence in South Africa's energy infrastructure?

Can Eskom maintain its generation fleet while building a stronger transmission system for the future?

Those are the questions that matter.

Political parties will come and go. Business interests will change. Public debates will move from one controversy to another.

But South Africa will still need a reliable electricity system.

That is why Eskom's current trajectory must be protected from unnecessary disruption.

Where there are problems, expose them.

Where there is corruption, investigate it.

Where there is incompetence, act against it.

Where there are legitimate concerns, demand answers.

But where there is progress, acknowledge it.

South Africa cannot rebuild Eskom by constantly pulling it apart.

The country needs continuity, competent leadership, professional management and a clear national interest.

Eskom is too important to become another casualty of political and business influence. If the institution is moving in the right direction, the responsible thing to do is not to derail it — it is to strengthen it, hold it accountable and allow the work to continue.

Masibongwe Sihlahla is an independent writer and social commentator and the founder of Black Excellence Network RSA.