--- title: "Memo to Eskom: Telkom already lost this fight" url: https://daily.dev/posts/memo-to-eskom-telkom-already-lost-this-fight-w4ugnrmwe source_url: https://techcentral.co.za/memo-to-eskom-telkom-already-lost-this-fight/283530 type: article source: "TechCentral" published: 2026-07-08T10:44:11.047Z updated: 2026-07-08T10:44:37.241Z reading_time: 5 upvotes: 0 comments: 0 language: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Memo to Eskom: Telkom already lost this fight **[TechCentral](https://daily.dev/sources/techcentral)** · 5 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary South Africa's Eskom is resisting the transfer of its transmission grid to an independent operator, and the author draws a direct parallel to Telkom's decade-long fight to retain control of its last-mile copper network. Telkom's refusal to separate wholesale and retail operations led to competition abuse fines totalling R649 million, stalled broadband development, and ultimately forced the spin-off of Openserve anyway — after the damage was done. The electricity situation is argued to be more dangerous because, unlike telecoms, no competitor can build a rival transmission grid. Independent power producers blocked from grid access simply cannot connect, throttling renewables investment. The author notes that grid separation is already written into law via the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act and publicly backed by President Ramaphosa, and urges Eskom's board to stop relitigating settled policy and focus on negotiating a transfer that protects lenders, workers, and the grid itself. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [The debate about the grid is over](https://daily.dev/posts/the-debate-about-the-grid-is-over-usamb30au) · TechCentral · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Ramaphosa signs off on taking the grid away from Eskom](https://daily.dev/posts/ramaphosa-signs-off-on-taking-the-grid-away-from-eskom-nxbz2cze3) · TechCentral · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Eskom unbundling U-turn threatens to undo hard-won electricity gains](https://daily.dev/posts/eskom-unbundling-u-turn-threatens-to-undo-hard-won-electricity-gains-pzgvg4zjc) · TechCentral · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Ramaphosa presses ahead with Eskom break-up](https://daily.dev/posts/ramaphosa-presses-ahead-with-eskom-break-up-fwxvoqbcp) · TechCentral · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Trading rules near as Eskom tools up to compete](https://daily.dev/posts/trading-rules-near-as-eskom-tools-up-to-compete-nqactxm9h) · TechCentral · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/memo-to-eskom-telkom-already-lost-this-fight-w4ugnrmwe)