The oil crisis and South Africa: A comparison with the world situation

Abstract

Energy as a strategic resource has become a crucial world issue, to sustain future economic growth and survival. The world depends for 95% of its total energy demand, on fossil fuel, supplies of which are limited, while world energy demand is increasing steadily along with population and economic growth. The West depends heavily on oil from the Middle East, and this has placed OPEC countries in a position to demand a twentyfold increase in crude oil prices in nine years. Alternative energy sources are discussed, but the world is still heading for a crisis due to imbalance between energy supply and demand. The energy situation in South Africa differs somewhat because local coal provides 80% of total energy requirements, and stringent conservation measures have achieved large reductions in oil consumption, while uranium, electricity generation and oil-from-coal technologies make the country less vulnerable than most other western countries.
Energie as 'n strategiese hulpbron het wereldwyd krities geword, om toekomstige ekonomiese groei en oorlewing te verseker. Vir 95% van sy totale energieverbruik is die wereld afhanklik van fossielbrandstof, waarvan voorrade beperk is, terwyl die wereldvraag na energie steeds met bevolkings- en ekonomiese groei styg. Die Weste moet na die Midde-Ooste opsien vir olie, en dit het OPEC-lande in staat gestel om ruoliepryse in nege jaar twintigvoudig te verhoog. Alternatiewe energiebronne word bespreek, maar die wereld stuur steeds af op 'n krisis weens wanbalans tussen energievraag en -aanbod. Die energiesituasie in Suid-Afrika verskil ietwat omdat plaaslike steenkool 80% van totale energie benodig, verskaf, terwyl streng besparingsmaatreels groot vermindering in olieverbruik meegebring het, en uraan-, elektrisiteit- en olie-uitsteenkool-tegnologiee die land minder kwesbaar maak as meeste ander Westerse lande.