A 2016 World Bank policy research working paper looked at the financial viability of electricity sectors in 39 sub-Saharan African countries. #Asakhe
It found that in 2014, South Africa’s power utility had the largest workforce out of the 39 countries – at 41,787. It also had the largest number of customers: just over 5.4 million.
Eskom was therefore 66% overstaffed. The only countries with higher than optimum staff levels were Zimbabwe (67%) and Zambia (71%).
The World Bank’s analysis of staffing levels estimated that Eskom only needed a workforce of 14,244 people. One assumption in the calculation was that in developing countries, there should be one employee for every 413 electricity customers.
Source: Africa Check
