2 Time-zones for SA?

[Cleric]

South Africa could soon be divided into two times zones.

This is according to the Portia Molefe, a director-general at the department of public enterprises, who was speaking in a briefing to parliament's minerals and energy portfolio committee on the energy crisis on Wednesday morning.

Molefe said the daylight-saving plan would help spread electricity demand by shifting peak demand times.

She said that the two time-zone plan was "far more viable now" than it had been before as South Africa's economics had changed, in that the Western Cape's economy had strengthened when compared to Gauteng's.

Molefe said that this plan would not just be good for getting back about 200 megawatts of electricity,but that it would also be good for sectors like the airline industry, which she said could "fly a lot longer each day".

http://www.fin24.com/articles/defaul...518-25_2282566

Honestly, this is the first really innovative idea that I've heard to manage the power crisis. It just makes good sense. I doubt it will go through, but I'm glad that they're beginning to look outside the box.

[Miktar]

Oh my God, no. *facepalms*

[ShadowBurn]

WTF??? 2 Time zones in our small county?

[cr@zydude]

dude we actually should have 2 time zones. durban is on a different line of longitude.

[Miktar]

No, we shouldn't. That would be retarded.

[kHayne]

Statement.
Justification.
?????
Profit.

My opinion? The man makes some sense. Spreading peak power use over two hours instead of one is a potential solution to the loadshedding problem. But it potentially opens up a whole other can of worms.

[wisp]

Day Light saving time is a great idea and works well in the Uk..but 2 time zones O.O

[Antharias]

Okay. Yeah, we have two time zones but for all intensive purposes, we only use the one because it is not worth splitting it so drastically. It would not do our country any bloody good to have two timezones because for so long we have had only one and it would cost a hell of a lot more to change it than we would save on electricity.

[Cleric]

It's not a case of the rand cost of electricity. It's the case of electricity just not being there when it's needed, so spreading peak usage makes perfect sense. It's an interesting proposal, and I get the feeling that some people are just adverse to change.

[Coolhand]

SA should definitely have 2 time zones. Just look at the longitudes of SA and compare them to how other countries have done it.

Just because people in SA aren't used to it doesn't mean that it is automatically a bad idea.

There is a reason why at 7pm it is dark in Joburg but still light for another hour in Cape Town.

If Mexico can have 2 time zones, then SA bloody-well can to!

[cr@zydude]

i agree with cleric everyone went ape **** when they stopped giving away free plastic bags at shops. and look at us now the country's still in one piece. 2 time zones + daylight saving ftw!!

[Miktar]

I don't think you're really thinking this through, cr@zydude. You don't quite realize the impact dicking around with DST has on a country.

[Cleric]

U really do know everything about everything, don't you.

[Squirly]

Duh. That's why he's an admin.

Pay attention Cleric.

[Mic]

well... for 1... we will be a divided nation... and every time you fly to Jo'burg or Durb's you need to set your clock... but... I'm 50-50 on this one... It's a good idea but implementing it will be a catastrophe.

[dunjin]

It's a good idea but implementing it will be a catastrophe.

proof, lol.

I'm for it. Stir the **** up. TV guides will never be the same again.

[Squirly]

Here in Nam we don't have 2 time zones, but we need to set our clocks back every winter... in fact it's about time we do that again, if my calculations are correct. For me the most significant difference back when they first implemented it was that the sunday night 8PM movie started 7.

Priorities.

I still think it's the biggest load of **** thought. We don't even HAVE two relevant longitudes running through our country - it's just a way of being different.

[Nduimiso]

business would never work as head offices would be either not open yet or closed

[PloPshoP]

Let's implement it a few weeks before the 2010 World Cup, then fail at adjusting to it properly and then show the whole world why SA is made of fail.

[Mic]

I think we do.... 20? and 30? east of Greenwich, witch actually means that it is viable.