Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona on Monday told stakeholders that one unexpected event at any of its power stations could push the country to the total failure of the national electricity system that may take weeks to resolve.

Eskom previously said it might take two weeks to restart the electricity system, should a national black-out occur.

Matona also said load shedding could be expected from next week, according to Christo van der Rheede, CEO of the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut, who attended the meeting.

In reaction, Professor Raymond Parsons from the North West University Business School said whether Eskom could keep the lights on in the period ahead would be critical for the country’s economic prospects in 2015.

“Business people need the assurance, not only that production will not be again seriously disrupted as industry and commerce reopen this month after the holidays, but also for investors who need to have certainty if they are to commit themselves to the SA economy in the long term,” Professor Parsons said.

The two-hour high level meeting on Monday afternoon was attended by about 100 representatives fom business, several consultancy firms and organised agriculture, said Henk van de Graaf, assistant executive manager of agricultural body TLU SA, who was in attendance. Apart from Matona, the meeting was also addressed by Eskom chair Zola Tsotsi and attended by members of the board and the whole Eskom executive.

The media was not invited.

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