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'The economy cannot run without electricity'

The state-owned utility company Eskom is critical to South Africa's economy. It supplies 90% of the entire country's power. South African industry, especially mining, depends on it. But Eskom is in deep financial trouble.

It is expected to rack up an $800m loss this financial year and has debts of more than $30bn. Eskom has also imposed a new wave of power cuts across the country.

Corruption is a huge part of the problem, according to Antoinette Slabbert, a financial journalist at the website Moneyweb in Pretoria.

(Image: African National Congress (ANC) supporters march against Eskom. Credit: Getty Images)

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3 minutes