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Gauteng municipalities are not financially stable to build a new electricity grid to feed in additional electricity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Gauteng Provincial Government has no concrete plans in place to assist municipalities in maintaining their electrical grids. This is according to the Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mzi Khumalo.

The MEC was responding to our questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature regarding the procurement of electricity from Independent Power Producers to lessen the impact load-shedding has on our residents.

MEC Khumalo says that the Gauteng Provincial Government is not mandated to procure electricity from IPPs. However, through the Energy Security Strategy, the GPG has been liaising with municipalities that will be procuring electricity directly from IPPs.

Furthermore, there are no plans to build a new grid to feed-in the additional electricity. Municipalities will have to look into upgrading their grids or building new ones independently, provided they get the necessary permission from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).

The responses given by the MEC are concerning. While residents are now experiencing lower stages of load-shedding, the provincial government must provide municipalities with the support they need, both financially and technically, to upgrade their electricity infrastructure.

Procuring electricity from IPPs is the only solution because the current electricity network is already constrained due to a lack of regular maintenance. This has resulted in power tripping once it is restored after load-shedding.

The DA reiterates its call on Premier Lesufi and MEC Khumalo to liaise with their counterparts in the Western Cape. Great strides have been made in the Western Cape to protect residents from higher stages of load-shedding. Through COGTA, financial support is being provided to municipalities to update their Electricity Master Plans (EMP).

Issued by Patrick Atkinson MPL - DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Finance