Week 1 Energy 5 Jun 2026

The R-trillion gap

South Africa's gas runs short this decade. The only real question is who fills the gap — and how.

The decision on the table

“You're an off-taker, IPP or industrial gas user betting on SA supply: when does the squeeze hit, and which fill option is actually bankable?”

SA gas supply is in structural — not cyclical — decline, while the new electricity market layers gas-to-power demand on top. The gap gets filled by imported LNG, new pipelines, or demand destruction.

Technical

Secunda in decline; ROMPCO near its usable ceiling — little headroom without new build.

Economic

The widening gap is filled by costlier imports, so the price floor rises every year.

Political

The new market stacks demand; the regulator's gas-framework hearings decide who is allowed to fill it.

The gap is structural, not cyclical.
What we’re watching
  • Gas-framework hearings
  • Sasol production guidance
  • Import-terminal FID signals

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