Gauteng independent power plan welcomed

PLANS by the Gauteng government to set up its own energy company to avoid damage to the country’s economic hub have been welcomed.

Gauteng premier David Makhura’s ambitious plan, Growing Gauteng Together (GTT2030), states that the energy company was part of his administration’s efforts to establish and maintain a sustainable, resourcewise Gauteng.

“The finalisation of a Gauteng City-Region-wide energy company to respond to the demands and supply of energy,” the plan declares as one of its priorities. The province will also focus on reforming the energy sector through a focus on alternative energy to support the growth of a new sector along an entire value chain including compressed natural gas, biofuels, solar and battery storage.

Delivering his State of the Province Address at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, on Tuesday, Makhura complained that Eskom was destroying Gauteng with its load shedding.

Earlier this week, DA Gauteng caucus leader Solly Msimanga called on Gauteng to secure its own source of energy to mitigate load shedding.

IFP provincial chairperson Bonginkosi

Dhlamini said yesterday that Gauteng could not afford to rely on Eskom. According to Dhlamini, Gauteng was a “unique province” and if it did not work the entire continent would not function properly.

Dhlamini described Makhura’s GTT2030 as a good diagnosis that was correctly done, but his remedy “is missing the point”. He said Gauteng’s glaring challenges were high unemployment, crime, violence against women and children, lawlessness and school violence, but GTT2030 did not speak to them.

The SACP in Gauteng praised Makhura for a speech that was concrete on details and information.

AFTER going through the latest motion from the DA to remove Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise, has given the go-ahead to start the process.

Yesterday, Modise announced that she was satisfied that the DA’s latest motion, which was filed last week, meets all the requirements.

Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said Modise has, therefore, written to all political parties represented in the National Assembly, inviting them, afresh, to nominate people they feel are suitable to serve on an external panel of experts that will make a preliminary assessment of the motion.

“Within 30 days of its appointment, the panel must conduct and finalise its preliminary assessment and make a recommendation to the Speaker.”

Parties have until March 6 to submit preferred names to Modise’s office.

Responding to the fresh motion, Mkhwebane’s spokesperson Oupa Segalwe, when asked if his boss is aware of the latest developments, said: “The matter is before court, where the PP is challenging the lawfulness and constitutionality of the rules.”