Eskom heading for tough times, and more water outages hitting Joburg residents this week

The South African rand declined against a stronger U.S. dollar on Friday, as concerns over President Donald Trump’s tariff threats kept markets anxious. 

The rand traded at 17.96 against the dollar, which was over 1% weaker than Thursday’s close. This decline mirrored trends among many emerging market currencies, as traders sought safe-haven assets. 

The U.S. dollar was approximately 0.3% stronger against a basket of currencies. Analysts attributed the rand’s downturn primarily to uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariff policies. 

Investors focused on domestic developments are awaiting updates from the government, which is attempting to finalise a trade deal before an extended deadline of 1 August. 

After this date, South Africa faces a potential 30% trade tariff on its exports to the United States. 

Despite some investor interest in emerging markets, partly due to diminished confidence in the dollar as a reliable safe-haven currency, the rand has yet to benefit from this trend.

On Monday, 14 July, the rand was trading at R17.95 to the dollar, R24.20 to the pound and R20.97 to the euro. Oil was trading slightly lower at $70.42 a barrel.

Here are five other important things happening in and affecting South Africa today:

Eskom heading for trouble: Experts warn that Eskom is in a tough spot, needing to support reforms that will reduce its market share. As private generators enter the market, Eskom must adapt to increased competition while striving for sustainability, even as its tariffs remain unsustainable for the new environment. [News24]

Joburg water outages: Johannesburg residents are being warned to prepare for water disruptions, as some areas of the city may be without running water for up to four days. This maintenance work will affect the Sandton and Midrand systems and the Alexander Park, Linksfield, and Randjieslaagte reservoirs. [Primedia Plus]

New Minister of Police: President Ramaphosa has initiated a judicial inquiry into police corruption and placed Minister Senzo Mchunu on leave. Former ANC politician and law professor Firoz Cachalia will serve as the acting Police Minister. [BusinessTech]

US tariff blow: South Africa is one of 14 countries facing higher US tariffs, following a brief pause for negotiations. Analysts predict this will harm the country’s economic growth, especially the long-term growth in the minerals, vehicle, and agriculture sectors. [Mail & Guardian]

Truth about local Temu warehouse: Temu has promoted its “local warehouse” in South Africa. However, it does not own any local distribution centres. Instead, the online marketplace partners with trusted third-party logistics providers already in South Africa. [MyBroadband]