JOHANNESBURG - It's been a dark January so far, with Stages 4, 5 and 6 rolling blackouts for most of the month.
Eskom has been relying on emergency-powered open-cycle gas turbines to prevent a total collapse of the grid.
Diesel reserves are fast running out, and the utility has no money left for diesel.
SA's Electricity Crisis | Blackouts persist despite meetings
The new budget only kicks in in April, and Eskom has requested a R19.5bn lifeline.
The government says it can't cough up that amount of cash, but what of the growing cost to the economy that rolling blackouts continue to take?
eNCA's Anlie Hattingh spoke to Chief Economist at the Bureau for Economic Research, Hugo Pienaar.