South Africa faces a significant natural gas supply deficit starting in 2028 as production from Mozambique’s Pande and Temane fields begins to decline.
The impending shortfall, widely referred to as the "gas cliff," is intensifying calls for immediate policy and infrastructure action to prevent disruptions to power generation and industrial activity.
The decline in Mozambican gas flows threatens to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in South Africa’s energy mix.
With the manufacturing sector already grappling with rising fuel costs and weak demand, a reduction in reliable gas supply could further constrain industrial output and increase reliance on more expensive or less efficient energy sources.
This development adds to broader regional energy challenges.
While South Africa confronts its own supply cliff, neighboring producers such as Nigeria, Libya, and Algeria continue to struggle with gas flaring and underutilized resources, highlighting the continent’s fragmented approach to gas infrastructure and market integration.