Electricity serves as one of the most critical functions in the development and prosperity of a nation. It is the pivotal axis upon which economies turn, and human existence is made bearable. With regards to both the former and the latter pronouncements, it can be noted that the availability of reliable and affordable sources of electricity are pre-requisite for industrialization, technological innovation, maintaining a reasonable cost of living, stable inflationary outlook and so on. Any modern society, its economy and formal institutions, if deprived of electric power would surely come to a grinding halt and perhaps fall into chaos. The South African government, through its state owned enterprise (SOE) for energy production and distribution, the Electricity Supply Commission (ESKOM), finds itself on the precipice of just such a chaotic state of affairs. The current South African electricity supply crisis was characterized on the on