SA has been hit by rolling power cuts less than a month after President Cyril Ramaphosa gave renewed assurances that energy constraints were being addressed, making his pledges ring hollow and highlighting his administration’s inability to tackle the crisis.
Increased use of solar and wind energy would reduce SA’s reliance on coal, which is currently used to generate the bulk of electricity. That prospect bodes ill for about 87,000 coal miners, many of them members of the National Union of Mineworkers , which Mantashe led from 1998 to 2006. While former energy minister Jeff Radebe initiated the process of raising the threshold last year, Mantashe has failed to follow through since assuming the energy portfolio in May. Mantashe has already engaged the National Energy Regulator of SA “in order to fast track the licensing for small-scale generators”, his department said in a response to questions.
Sibanye Gold, the country’s biggest precious metals producer, has failed to get approval for a 150MW solar plant, and many other firms have experienced similar problems, CEO Neal Froneman said last month. The minister was galvanised into action last month when Eskom instituted its deepest power cuts yet, reducing supply by 6,000MW, and published a request for information for short-term power supply options of as much as 3,000MW within a year.
JamesSc49985361 'Is Gwede Mantashe stalling on renewable energy and licences for IPPs to increase power capacity because of his allegiance to unionised labour?' Yes. As well as to 'BEE' coal miners and transporters.
Well he would. He’s a trade unionist