The power supply in South Africa has become stretched at a time when commerce is listless. Figures published on November 26th showed that GDP grew between June and September at its slowest rate since 2009. It is strange that a country whose exports depend heavily on energy-intensive industries, such as carmaking and mining, has been so careless about power. Fitful electricity may now be as much a turn-off to much-needed investment by foreign companies as red tape and strikes. But then South Africa is a strange country.  Electricity Short in South Africa