South Africa (MNN) — South Africa has suffered regular rolling blackouts for several years, but things got worse in October. Five different power stations suffered breakdowns simultaneously. The country gets its power largely from coal and struggles to replace aging infrastructure.
John Fugler says this affects the Trans World Radio (TWR) Africa Broadcast Center in Johannesburg. “Our generators have to kick in. That’s happening more and more. And it’s becoming more expensive to service those generators with the fuel costs rising. They’re getting older. It seems like we are running them constantly.”
Solar power
That’s why TWR plans to install solar panels for the facility. Pray they will get the funding they need.
It’s an urgent situation as the blackouts get worse. Fugler says, “We have a major site in Bonaire where solar panels have been installed. We continue to work on that project to get that up to speed. This is becoming more and more common for us.”
“One of the programs that we do air daily is called Worship Connection out of South Africa. That is picked up by stations throughout the continent. That’s a live show, so we definitely need power.”
Most of the production for TWR programs in Africa happens in Johannesburg. Fugler says, “We have other centers throughout the continent that produce programs. But the central place where it emanates from is our Africa Broadcast Center. We have studios there, we have support staff, we have administrative staff, and we have folks who follow up with listeners. So a lot is happening there all the time.”
Ask God to sustain their work and provide electricity.
Header photo courtesy of TWR on Facebook.
