Cape Town - The R1 billion Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has requested from the provincial treasury to respond to the energy crisis will be spent to help buffer schools from load shedding, secure diesel to keep essential public services running during load shedding and provide poorer households with “power packs” that help reduce the impact of power cuts.
The money, which will be used over the upcoming three-year budget period, will also be allocated to address the short-term impact of load shedding on government services and assist SMMEs in assessing and implementing alternative energy options.
Winde announced these measures when delivering his State of the Province Address (Sopa) on Thursday, saying they were developing an energy plan for the Western Cape to inform the government's short-term responses.
“We are approaching the energy crisis with this fierce urgency now. I call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to ensure that this new state of disaster follows some of the simple steps that we took during the Covid-19 pandemic, to ensure greater transparency and accountability, such as accountability to Parliament.
“To lead our interventions, I set up the Western Cape Energy Council, when we were at the height of stage 6 rolling blackouts last year. The Energy Council is focused on both the short-term crisis but also the longer term. We are developing an energy plan for the province that informs our short-term responses,” he said.
Winde said another key intervention in addressing the power crisis was the Municipal Energy Resilience Plan, a local government-level programme that develops, supports and builds capacity at municipalities across the province to implement renewable energy projects.
“Across the Western Cape 6 756 PV applications have already been approved by municipalities, with a total capacity of 197 MW.”
He also announced that a new Mobility MEC would take up the position next week.
Winde said mismanagement, incompetence and crime were the factors driving the public transport system into the ground, rather than forward.
Winde’s speech comes amid the Western Cape Education (WCED) confirming that more than 2 700 children from 87 schools were prevented from attending school again on Thursday.
This is despite the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association (Codeta) issuing a notice on Wednesday night that they would no longer intercept scholar transport in Khayelitsha and neighbouring communities.
“On Monday, over 5 000 learners missed school, with 4 200 absent on Tuesday, and 4 500 absent on Wednesday.
“We reiterate that WCED will not meet with any minibus taxi association until the blockade is terminated and teaching and learning resumes at our schools without disruption. We will not tolerate minibus taxi associations terrorising our parents and children, who want to use their Learner Transport Scheme buses.
“We are also aware of next week’s planned stayaway.
“It is extremely disappointing, given that the minibus taxi associations have already kept thousands of learners in Khayelitsha home from school, and now even greater numbers of learners and staff will miss school,” said Mec David Maynier.
Codeta's Nceba Enge, however, said they allowed all those who transported children to school to do so, with the exception of the buses.
Santaco's first deputy chairperson, Gershon Geyer said they had undertaken to request a meeting with the WCED, which would not include the leadership of Codeta, to look at ways of resolving the situation.
GOOD party secretary-general Brett Herron said when commuters and goods could not move, economic activity also ground to a halt.
“It is inexplicable how the Western Cape can provide Golden Arrow Bus Services with a R1 billion a year transport contract, without a tender process, but cannot negotiate a contract with taxi operators.
“The National Land Transport Act requires these old bus services to be put out on tender, but this hasn’t happened.
“Yet, the same government will not contract scholar transport without a tender. We need a new operating licence model which adequately responds to the real demand and supply discrepancies.”
ANC MPL Khalid Sayed said the situation had blown out of proportion because of the WCED's attitude.
“The WCED and Provincial Transport Department must provide leadership by engaging all stakeholders involved to find solutions to the problem.
“We commend the KDF leadership for the role they played to ensure learners return to school this week.”
Cape Times