Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Western Cape legislature is expected to invite the newly-appointed Electricity Minister Kgosiento Ramokgopa and Premier Alan Winde to brief members on the power crisis.
The legislature’s ad hoc committee on the energy crisis convened its first meeting on Tuesday. It discussed how it would monitor the provincial government’s response to the country’s ongoing electricity crisis.
Committee chairperson Christopher Fry said its members had resolved to invite Winde, his special advisor on energy, Alwie Lester, and Ramokgopa to give an overview of the current status of the energy crisis in South Africa and the Western Cape.
Fry said they would be asked to “outline their plans to mitigate the impact of rolling blackouts on the province; and provide an update on the provincial government’s plans to make the Western Cape the first load-shedding-free province”.
He added that it was important to understand the plans in light of the national state of disaster, which was declared to respond to the energy crisis, and the R1.1 billion that the provincial government allocated in its budget to fund projects aimed at mitigating load shedding.
“The ad hoc committee will, over the coming months, engage with key stakeholders across all spheres of government, civil society, communities, labour and the private sector to identify the challenges imposed by the energy crisis and to work towards meaningful solutions to make the Western Cape a load shedding-free province.”
ANC legislature member Cameron Dugmore told the committee that clear guidance was needed on the national energy plan.
“We need to monitor the interventions and how money is being spent,” he said.
The ACDP’s Ferlon Christians said legislature members needed to have a “lengthy conversation” with Winde and other roleplayers.
“A lengthy conversation with the premier is needed. The topic is that we have an energy crisis. Everyone who has a role must tell us where we are and where we are heading,” he said.
The EFF’s Aishah Cassiem, meanwhile, wanted clarity on independent power producers and “whether electricity will be affordable for the poor and indigent residents”.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
