Eskom's CEO Brian Molefe predicts the utility will be cash positive by 2025, dismissing the idea of privatization as 'foolish.' Despite producing nearly all power in South Africa and facing a R200 billion funding shortfall, Eskom is working on new power stations and a revised tariff structure. The company plans to raise funds through an international bond and is in a coal supply dispute with Glencore's Optimum mine. Eskom aims to expand its generation capacity and South Africa seeks to procure additional megawatts, including a costly nuclear program.

South Africa's Strategic Fuel Fund is looking to import 24 million barrels of oil annually from Iraq, marking the first potential crude imports from Baghdad in over a decade. The SFF's acting CEO, Sibusiso Gamede, stated that they have applied for an allocation with the Iraqi state-owned oil company SOMO and are awaiting a response. South Africa is diversifying its crude sources due to sanctions on Iran, its former top supplier. The largest black-owned petrochemical company in South Africa, WASSA, has also applied for Iraqi crude. Iraq's southern oil exports are expected to rise modestly in 2016, according to the head of the state-owned South Oil Company.

South Africa's renewable energy initiative, launched four years ago, has successfully added over 1,000 MW of power to its grid, reducing power outages and promoting economic growth. Industry experts at the SAIREC conference, including REN21's Christine Lins, highlighted South Africa as a model for other African countries, citing its stable regulation and infrastructure investment. Despite the continent's vast renewable resources, companies like juwi Renewable Energies emphasize the need for reliable policies to secure investments. Africa's regular power outages cost economies up to 2% of GDP, and electricity demand has increased by 80% since 2005.

Sasol is planning to build a 3,000 megawatt gas-to-power facility in South Africa to mitigate the impact of falling oil prices. The company's full-year earnings dropped by 17 percent, and it reduced its dividend. Sasol is expanding its gas pipeline from South Africa to Mozambique, which will increase gas supply to the economy by early 2017. Despite cost-cutting measures, including job reductions and freezing vacancies, Sasol's shares fell by 0.8 percent. The company is focusing on conserving cash to support growth projects in southern Africa and the United States.

South Africa's government is reassessing its new travel regulations for minors, which require an unabridged birth certificate and other documents, due to negative impacts on the tourism industry as reported by tour operators and airlines. Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom noted cancellations and mentioned that Air China is reconsidering its flights to South Africa, citing visa requirements as one reason. The Department of Home Affairs introduced the rules to combat child trafficking, but the tourism sector, which contributes nearly a tenth to the GDP, is being affected.

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma canceled a state visit to Indonesia to address anti-immigrant violence in South Africa, promising peace to displaced African immigrants in a televised speech. The violence, which started in Durban and spread to Johannesburg, has led to at least four deaths. Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, whose comments were linked to the unrest, attempted to defuse tensions. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, on behalf of the Southern African Development Community and African Union, condemned the attacks. Governments of Zimbabwe and Malawi have begun bussing their nationals back home.

Harmony Gold reported a reduced quarterly loss of 226 million rand and a 6 percent output increase, but faces challenges including illegal miners at Kusasalethu mine, safety concerns, and labor violence. CEO Graham Briggs indicated potential job cuts due to 50 percent of costs being labor-related. The company is also considering acquisitions as other producers sell assets amid falling gold prices. An update on the Golpu project in Papua New Guinea is expected in December, with anticipated lower capital expenditure than the initial $6 billion estimate, to be shared with Newcrest Mining.