Vodacom Has Invested R2 Billion In Batteries To Deal With Eskom’s Load Shedding

Vodacom announced today that it has invested over R2 billion in batteries alone to enhance the resilience of our network so that we keep customers connected during
extended periods of loadshedding.

“At the same time, we continue to work closely with Eskom to find a renewable energy solution for the benefit of our planet and customers, having announced in September 2022
an in-principle agreement with South Africa’s energy utility to pilot a programme that would see Vodacom South Africa source its electricity from renewable independent power producers and contribute this into the national grid,” Shameel Joosub, Vodacom’s CEO informed investors on Monday.

South Africa faces heightened power-availability challenges.

Purpose-led business model driving climate-related innovation

Vodacom said its purpose-led model is premised on the three pillars: digital society; inclusion for all; and planet.

Joosub said the Vodafone-owned company remain focused on the delivery of its Social Contract with stakeholders to ensure that it make meaningful contributions to inclusion and the recovery in markets where it operate.

In the period, the global energy outlook was put into sharp focus with the war in Ukraine while South Africa faced heightened power-availability challenges.

Joosub added that this operating context re-affirmed Vodacom’s focus on the planet and our partnership role at the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference hosted in Egypt in last week.

“As a technology company, our digital solutions and capabilities play a critical role in helping society to mitigate and adapt against climate change impacts,” he said.

 

“The Internet of Things (IoT) for instance, is key in saving energy, creating cleaner and more efficient communities, and enabling sectors such as agriculture to be more efficient and sustainable.

 

“We engaged extensively on this at COP27 so we can accelerate the fight against climate change. Beyond IoT, Vodacom is pursuing numerous other climate related initiatives, some of which include renewable energy powered rural sites and a pilot renewable energy solution in South Africa with the state-owned utility, Eskom.”