South African homes need two-way meters so that they can feed extra solar power from home systems and electric vehicles back to the grid.
- Professor of Technology Management, University of Pretoria
South Africa could end power blackouts if it implemented a plan to balance renewable energy capacity, time-of-use tariffs and ended the power utility’s monopoly.
Nothing will save Eskom in its present configuration.
Eskom needs a new management team, this is clear. But the country also needs new leadership.
Five essential reads on why South Africa is failing to keep the lights on.
If South Africa fails to implement the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan, it will lead to the demise of Eskom as an energy producer as users turn to alternative electricity sources.
Moves by Moderna and BioNTech to make vaccines themselves in African countries signal that the companies aren’t considering licensing its technology to a third party for local manufacture.
For the first time, the drug substance, or active ingredient for a COVID-19 vaccine - in this case mRNA - will be manufactured on the continent.
Los Gobiernos africanos, las empresas y los organismos donantes deben aunar esfuerzos para apoyar la fabricación local de vacunas y otros equipos sanitarios en el continente.
African governments, firms and donor agencies should align their efforts to support the local manufacture of vaccines and other health equipment in African countries.
South Africa has come short of its digital ambitions, but it can catch up by ensuring access to high speed broadband, and support for domestic digital firms and entrepreneurs.
There is a golden opportunity for South Africa to transition from being a key contributor to global warming to becoming a key contributor to global emissions reductions.
South Africa’s economic reforms of the 1990s were overdone, destroying some industries and thus impacting economic growth and job creation. A re-balancing of industrial policy is called for.
Today, universities fulfil many of the science councils’ roles at a much lower cost while also training postgraduate students.
Manufacturing one of the world’s most important vaccines will have several benefits for South Africa.
South Africa has been slow to adopt renewable energy sources. One option, which has proved successful elsewhere, would be to install solar photovoltaic panels on rooftops in low-income areas.
The difficulty for South Africa’s minister of science and technology – and for economic policy within all African countries – is the question of how to raise levels of innovation.
Contact David for
- General
- Media request
- Speaking request
- Consulting / Advising
- Research collaboration
- Research supervision
- Article Feed
- ORCID
- Joined
