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Eskom and Sasol sign agreement on exploring LNG to unlock Gas to Power and mitigate imminent gas shortage for South Africa Friday, 20 September 2024: In a landmark move set to reshape South Africa’s energy landscape, Eskom and Sasol today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaboratively explore and research potential future liquified natural...
Maybe you know some of these, maybe you don’t: About Eskom and Electricity – Founded: Eskom was established in 1923. About Eskom and Electricity – Ownership: It is a state-owned enterprise. About Eskom and Electricity – Headquarters: Located in Johannesburg, South Africa. About Eskom and Electricity – Primary Function: Eskom generates, transmits, and distributes electricity. …
Cabinet welcomes positive economic numbers
Cabinet has welcomed the positive economic indicators following the slight growth in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), slowing inflation and the drop in the repo rate.
This is according to Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who briefed the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held this Wednesday.
South Africa’s GDP increased by 0.4% during the second quarter of 2024 following a 0.0% growth in the first quarter. Additionally, inflation dropped to 4.4% in August from 4.6% in July while the repo rate also dropped for the first time since 2020 to reach 8%.
“We are seeing positive economic indicators and therefor Cabinet welcomed the positive economic indicators as per the data released by Statistics South Africa. This increase [of the GDP] was influenced by the improvement in the manufacturing sector of 1.7% growth year on year. The revival of the manufacturing sector is a critical success factor in the re-industrialisation of South Africa.
“There has been a consistent improvement in the CPI since March 2024. We must also extend our appreciation to the cut on the interest rate by 25 basis points…that is [a] welcome[d] relief to all South Africans,” the Minister said at Friday’s briefing.
READ | Government welcomes repo rate cut
State owned companies
Ntshavheni said steady progress in revitalising and improving the performance of State owned companies (SOCs) is welcomed.
She added that this will “positively contribute to South Africa’s industrialisation drive”.
“In this regard, it is worth noting that Denel posted a profit of R390 million before interest and tax for the 2023/24 financial year with irregular expenditure declining by a whopping 98%.
“Prasa [Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa] is making strong headway in getting passenger trains back on track with 31 of the 40 rail corridors now operational.
“Eskom’s recovery plan continues to deliver positive outcomes with load shedding remaining suspended for more than 175 days as of the 18th of September 2024,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Fri, 09/20/2024 - 11:51
They blame illegal connections for their electricity troubles and want Eskom to intervene
Monday, 16 September 2024: Eskom, alongside key stakeholders and members of the Ezamokuhle community in Amersfoort, Mpumalanga marked a significant milestone in the Masibambisane Air Quality Offset (AQO) project which has been instrumental in reducing indoor air emissions and improving the overall quality of life for low-income households in the area. Eskom’s Masibambisane AQO project...
NLG Gloves has been in Harrismith since 1993 and employed 71 people from surrounding communities.
Friday, 13 September 2024: The Generation Operational Recovery Plan continues to deliver a constant energy supply and efficiencies with loadshedding remaining suspended and Eskom achieving 170 consecutive days of uninterrupted power supply since 26 March 2024. In the past seven days, Eskom’s use of its Open-Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGTs) resulted in diesel expenditure of R4.16...
He deserves to be remembered as a courageous person who served the country with great distinction
Eskom pays tribute to “pivotal figure” former Minister Gordhan
Eskom has joined the rest of South Africa and the global community in mourning the passing of former Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.
Gordhan passed away in hospital in the early hours of Friday morning after a battle with cancer, his family announced. He was 75 years old.
Gordhan was Minister of Public Enterprises from February 2018 until he announced his planned retirement in March 2024.
The State-owned power utility described the former Minister as a “pivotal figure in Eskom’s transformation, driving critical reforms that set the foundation for the utility’s future”.
The organisation said he was instrumental in initiating the legal separation of Eskom into Generation, Transmission, and Distribution entities.
According to Eskom, his vision, outlined in the 2019 Department of Public Enterprises Roadmap for Eskom in a reformed Electricity Supply Industry, led to the creation of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), which began operations in July this year.
This marked a key milestone in South Africa’s efforts to reform the electricity sector, boost efficiency, and promote transparency.
Eskom Board Chairperson, Mteto Nyati, has offered heartfelt condolences to Gordhan’s family on behalf of the Eskom Board, executives, and all staff.
“His strategic guidance and unwavering support were essential to the current Board’s efforts to restore Eskom’s performance.”
According to Nyathi, he consistently stood by the Board, management, and employees during his time as Minister.
“His legacy will live on through us as we rebuild a high-performance and ethical Eskom,” Nyati added.
Eskom has also sent its deepest sympathies to his loved ones, knowing that his contributions will forever be remembered as a vital part of South Africa’s progress.
“May his soul rest in peace,” the power utility’s statement concluded.
In a statement released on Friday morning, President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his deep condolences to Gordhan’s wife Vanitha Raju, daughters Anisha and Priyesha, the former Minister’s older brother Manecklal, and sister Shanta Harilal.
President Ramaphosa commended him for his role as a leader in the country’s anti-corruption efforts during his later years of service to the nation.
“Gordhan stood up to derision and threats emanating from some in our nation who were scorched by his insistence that justice be dispensed against those who sought to undermine our democracy and raid our public resources and assets.
“During his decades of revolutionary dedication to making South Africa a better place, Pravin Gordhan and his family were deprived of much-needed and deserved time together.
“As we mourn his passing, we remain grateful for his life of sacrifice and service and his sustained striving for the realisation of the vision and dictates of our Constitution.
“We carry his family in our thoughts and prayers at this time,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.
READ | President mourns the passing of former Minister Pravin Gordhan
Meanwhile, the South African Revenue Service(SARS) described the former Minister as “a true patriot, social activist and a steward leader.”
READ | Tributes continue for “patriot” former Minister Pravin Gordhan
– SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Fri, 09/13/2024 - 12:32
Friday, 13 September 2024: Eskom and Maluti-a-Phofung local municipality (MAP) in the Free State are progressing a collaborative venture aimed at restoring the sustainability of electricity provision in the municipality. This unique eight-year agreement aims to restore the municipality’s technical and financial sustainability, enabling MAP to pay for bulk electricity from Eskom and continue providing...
Friday, 13 September 2024: Eskom joins the rest of South Africa and the global community in mourning the passing of former Public Enterprises Minister, Mr. Pravin Gordhan. Mr. Gordhan was a pivotal figure in Eskom’s transformation, driving critical reforms that set the foundation for the utility’s future. He was instrumental in initiating the legal separation...
SA must keep pace with international nuclear players
Eskom Group Chief Executive (GCE) Dan Marokane says South Africa should “move with pace” to keep up with the global move towards new nuclear build.
Marokane was addressing stakeholders at the Nuclear Seminar held by the Ministry of Energy and Electricity on Thursday.
“We are for nuclear. We understand that the energy mix is an important component of us achieving our strategic objectives as a country. This is not a discussion about either or. We’ve always argued that it is about the use of [energy] technologies to be complimentary.
“We are looking forward to participating in the process that will be led by the Minister [of Energy and Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa] to show that we can get to a point of making decisions very quickly. We cannot afford to wait any longer. We have fallen behind and we have an opportunity to catch up and we need to move with pace,” he said.
READ | Nuclear build will follow the science - Ramokgopa
Marokane emphasised that it is very important that government has a clear stance on the use of nuclear energy in the country’s ambitions to lower carbon emissions.
“What I would like to appreciate is the very clear government perspective on the strategy of nuclear and where it sits on the energy mix and its importance for us marching towards net zero targets.
“We exist within the global community and clearly there’ve been movements within the world…the world around has reawakened to the reality that [nuclear] is essentially an important component of baseload power generation going forward and us reducing emissions going forward.
“We have heard about the ambitions for nuclear on the continent, Egypt being quite advanced in this area. It would be sad of us to be overtaken having had so many years of operation…both from a perspective of skills and technical contribution to the continent and opportunities,” he said.
The GCE highlighted that the economic spinoffs from using nuclear energy are “quite huge”.
“For us as a country that is emerging out of the history that it has, the social inequalities that it has, this is an element that is going to contribute meaningfully for us. Our presence in the Western Cape has contributed immensely to the economic activities in the value chain.
“We have experienced quite tremendous positive spin offs from a green stability point of view with the Koeberg [Nuclear Power Station] units that are contributing…into the system. We have just…[installed] new steam generators so that we can have a life extension for the next 20 years.
“We will continue to look at the opportunities for exploiting this for even longer,” Marokane said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 09/12/2024 - 14:33
Wednesday, 11 September 2024: Following a notice given on 2 July 2024 to the National Treasury and Emfuleni Municipality (Emfuleni), Emfuleni is no longer a beneficiary of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) 124 Debt Relief program due to multiple breaches. Consequently, the Sheriff of the Court has successfully attached Emfuleni’s four bank accounts to...
Work underway to prevent truck congestion in Richards Bay
A team from the Road Traffic Inspectorate will work with municipalities and stakeholders, including Transnet, to prevent truck congestion from the N2 highway leading to the Port of Richards Bay.
This was among the commitments made during a meeting held by the KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements Departments.
Transport and Human Settlements MEC, Siboniso Duma, recently met with the management and all categories of staff from both departments working in King Cetshwayo, Zululand and UMkhanyakude Districts.
The meeting aimed to ensure that the two departments work collectively to accelerate the construction of roads and human settlements for the benefit of communities.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Duma said the stakeholders have decided to act decisively as the issue of truck congestion is resurfacing. Other stakeholders include the Road Freight Association and Zululand Chamber of Business.
“In addition, we commit to work with Transnet and Richards Bay Bulk Terminal to ensure safe and effective movement of coal destined for exports. Our roads have been damaged and created challenges such as truck related accidents that continue to claim innocent lives.
“There is a special team of traffic officers, uTalagu, that has been assigned to monitor the movements of trucks. Addressing these challenges means that as government we must invest in the development of infrastructure to accommodate the movement of goods and people,” Duma explained.
A need for all stakeholders to work hard to improve the railway networks and tap into aviation and maritime sectors to facilitate the movement of goods, was also emphasised.
He noted that the province is not only a construction site but strategically located along the longest coastline in Africa.
“This means that our economy is driven largely through the transport and logistics sectors based on the two major ports housed in the province, namely the Port of Richards Bay and the Port of Durban.
“Both ports are economically strategic not only to the province of KwaZulu-Natal, but also to the national economy of South Africa since they are linked to the economic heartland of South Africa, Gauteng, via road and rail networks.”
The MEC said the Port of Durban is also a transit point for cross border container traffic for neighbouring countries - a gateway to Southern Africa.
“The Ports of Richards Bay and Durban are important contributors to international trade and a significant enabler for South Africa’s and the province’s economic development. We are working with national government to ensure the expansion of road networks - the N2 and N3, along with our ports,” Duma said.
Apart from speeding up construction of houses for communities, the MEC acknowledged that there will be a growing demand for human settlements and pressure on road networks.
He added that with Richards Bay Industrial Economic Zone being a haven for foreign direct investment and a site for energy infrastructure, the province must be ready to be the host of the 3 000 MW gas-to-power plant to be constructed by power utility Eskom. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Tue, 09/10/2024 - 11:28
An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts today completed a review of long term operational safety of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in South Africa.
The Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation (SALTO) follow-up review mission was requested by the plant's operator, Eskom. Koeberg Units one and two started commercial operation in 1984 and 1985, respectively. Koeberg's Unit 1 received a license to continue operating until 2044 in July this year, and Eskom is planning to extend operation of Unit 2 until 2045.
Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant is located approximately 30 kilometers north of Cape Town, South Africa, and provides around 5 per cent of the country's electricity, playing a vital role in reducing reliance on coal. It is the only commercially operating nuclear power station on the African continent. Koeberg is equipped with two pressurized water reactors with a combined capacity of 1934 MW(e), making it a key component of South Africa's energy infrastructure.
During the 3 to 6 September mission, the SALTO team's review focused on aspects essential to the safe Long Term Operation (LTO) of both units. The mission reviewed Koeberg NPP's response to recommendations and suggestions made during an IAEA SALTO mission in 2022, which built upon an initial IAEA pre-SALTO mission held at the plant in 2019.
“The team observed that the plant is addressing the SALTO team's suggestions and recommendations from the 2022 review,” said team leader and IAEA Nuclear Safety Officer Bryce Lehman. “Based on its efforts, the plant has made significant improvements in ageing management and resolved most of the issues identified in 2022. The plant is on track to complete the remaining items in a reasonable timeframe.”
The team – comprising two experts from the Czech Republic and Slovenia, and two IAEA staff members – said the plant had:
The team noted that the plant needs to continue its work to ensure that:
Plant management expressed a determination to maintain the level of preparedness for safe LTO and to further cooperate with the IAEA in this area.
“For us, this is an integral part of the IAEA's supporting service to ensure safe operation of the Koeberg reactors during the LTO period for the next 20 years. The IAEA SALTO missions, and technical cooperation, helped to improve our continued focus on safe operation,” said Keith Featherstone, Chief Nuclear Officer, Nuclear Operating Unit, Eskom. “Eskom has worked diligently to demonstrate and ensure the safe operation of the Koeberg plant today and into the future and together with the IAEA carried out four review missions and several technical support discussions. We appreciate the IAEA's support and the independent review against international safety standards. We will continue to collaborate in the future as part of our drive to continuously improve,” he added.
The team provided a draft report to the plant management and to the South African National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) at the end of the mission. They will have an opportunity to make factual comments on the draft. A final report will be submitted to the plant management, the NNR and the South African Government within three months.
Background
General information about SALTO missions can be found on the IAEA Website. A SALTO peer review is a comprehensive safety review addressing strategy and key elements for the safe long term operation of nuclear power plants. They complement OSART missions, which are designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety. Neither SALTO nor OSART reviews are regulatory inspections, nor are they design reviews or substitutes for an exhaustive assessment of a plant's overall safety status.
LTO of nuclear power plants is defined as operation beyond an established time frame determined by the license term, the original plant design, relevant standards, or national regulations. As stated in IAEA safety standards, to maintain a plant's fitness for service, consideration should be given to life limiting processes and features of systems, structures, and components (SSC), as well as to reasonably practicable safety upgrades to enhance the safety of the plant to a level approaching that of modern plants.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Friday, 06 September 2024: Loadshedding remains suspended as a structural shift in the performance of the generation fleet continues to yield positive results, with Eskom achieving 163 consecutive days of uninterrupted power supply since 26 March 2024. This achievement includes a winter period free from loadshedding, a milestone last reached six years ago in 2018,...
Vhembe District Municipality says repairs to faulty boreholes across Elim will be done by end September
Cabinet commends Eskom's performance
Cabinet has commended Eskom for not implementing load shedding for more than 150 days – including over the South African winter period.
Acting Minister in the Presidency, Maropene Ramokgopa, told a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday that stable electricity supply is imperative for economic growth in the country.
“Cabinet commends Eskom, its board, management and all its employees who have worked tirelessly to ensure that South Africa will have no load-shedding this summer as the power utility continues to add more electrons to the grid through its generation recovery plan.
“A reliable energy supply is vital for growing our economy, boosting confidence and enhancing the quality of life of our citizens.
“Government continues to execute the Energy Action Plan, which has been instrumental in reducing the frequency of load-shedding through planned maintenance of Eskom’s power-generation fleet. The reform of our energy sector is a critical component of our efforts to create a secure energy future for our people,” she said at the briefing held in Cape Town.
Staying on the reform agenda, Ramokgopa said President Cyril Ramaphosa has fulfilled his undertaking to “recalibrate” State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
In that regard, she added, the responsibility for strategic SOEs have been “transferred to the various line ministries, after the President had signed the relevant proclamation to this effect”.
“This step coincides with plans to create a centralised shareholder model through which the State seeks to better leverage the capabilities of our SOEs to grow the economy, improve service delivery, and infuse the SOEs with the requisite commercial and strategic agility.
“The responsibility for power utility Eskom has been transferred to the Ministry of Energy and Electricity and Transnet, South African Airways and South African Express to the Ministry of Transport.
“The state-owned diamond mining company Alexkor will be managed by the Ministry of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, aerospace and military technology conglomerate Denel will fall under the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans while South African Forestry Company SOC Limited, which is responsible for state forestry, will report to the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment,” Ramokgopa said.
SA avocados in Japan
On agricultural export matters, the first batch of South African avocados have arrived in Japan.
“[This marks] a significant boost for the local avocado sector, and demonstrates the positive impact of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan, which aims to expand access to key new markets for South African producers.
“South African avocado growers now stand to benefit significantly as efforts to increase market access for our agricultural produce continues. India, China and Japan represent a combined market opportunity of over 2.5 billion people,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Thu, 09/05/2024 - 11:58
Former PRASA engineering head's sentence a blow against corruption
The hefty 15-year sentence against former Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) Engineering Head, Daniel Mthimkhulu, for three counts of fraud is a “significant victory” against corruption.
This is according to Acting Minister in the Presidency Maropene Ramokgopa, who briefed media on Thursday on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.
Mthimkhulu was convicted and sentenced in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crime Court for, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), misrepresenting his qualifications to PRASA and submitting a fraudulent job offer letter that he claimed to have received from a German engineering firm for a position at its engineering department.
This resulted in PRASA counter-offering and suffering prejudice amounting to some R2.8 million per annum.
“Cabinet applauded the 15-year sentence of the former Head of Engineering at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Mr Daniel Mthimkhulu, by the Palm Ridge Commercial Crimes Court.
“This sentence marks a significant victory in the fight against corruption and government’s commitment to rooting out dishonest practices and ensuring accountability at all levels,” Ramokgopa said.
She said Cabinet also welcomed the work done by law enforcement agencies to hold the corrupt accountable for their misdeeds.
“Cabinet welcomes the preservation order of R6.5 million against those involved in looting funds at the National Lotteries Commission. These actions support the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Strategy, which brings together law-enforcement agencies in the fight against corruption.
“Cabinet further welcomes the ruling by a London Court to allow the extradition of British national and former Eskom contractor, Mr Michael Lomas, to South Africa to face corruption charges.
"Lomas will be extradited to face 41 serious corruption charges related to the construction of the Kusile Power Station. This ruling is also a vote of confidence in our criminal justice system and affirms our commitment to comply with international human rights obligations,” Ramokgopa said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit to conduct an investigation into allegations of corruption and maladministration at Eskom.
“The signing… strengthens efforts to hold those involved in corruption activities at the State entity accountable. The proclamation covers allegations of unlawful and improper conduct that occurred between 1 March 2006 and 30 August 2024, and nine contracts will be investigated.
“The President also amended a proclamation authorising the SIU to investigate further areas of allegations of corruption at the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.govza
NeoB
Thu, 09/05/2024 - 12:14
Residents still turning up to report electricity supply problems months after Kwagga Mall customer hub closed
Wednesday, 04 September 2024: The article titled “Transfer of Eskom power supply to Centlec and three towns gets green light in Mangaung’s board,” published by Netwerk24 on 02 September 2024, refers. Eskom acknowledges the intention of Centlec and the support from the Mangaung Council for Centlec to take over the electricity supply to Thaba Nchu,...
Eskom sub-contractor employee convicted of corruption, bribery
An Eskom Rotek Industries sub-contractor employee has been sentenced to at least four years imprisonment following his conviction on two counts of bribery and corruption.
Selby Magagula was sentenced in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court in August.
Acting General Manager for Security at Eskom, Botse Sikhwitshi, welcomed the conviction and sentencing.
“The conviction of the suspect is a positive step in our continuous efforts to fight crime, fraud, and corruption, and to maintain the highest standards of integrity within the organisation.
“We commend the coal company’s team for their vigilance, as well as our internal security team and the law enforcement agencies. Their efforts, coordinated and led by the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM) Safety and Security Priority Committee, play a crucial role in supporting Eskom’s fight against criminal activities,” Sikhwitshi said.
The power utility explained that Magagula attempted to solicit a bribe from a truck driver who was delivering coal to Camden Power Station.
“On 26 September 2023, while on duty at the power station’s coal stockyard, Mr Magagula accused a coal truck driver of delivering coal mixed with rocks. He entered the truck cab and produced three pieces of rock, claiming they were part of the coal meant for delivery. He informed the driver that this issue would result in grounding all trucks, with three trucks already in the queue.
“Magagula then demanded that the driver contact his employer. The driver reached out to his supervisor at the coal transporting company, who then spoke to Mr Magagula. During this conversation, Mr Magagula solicited a bribe of R6 000 to allow the coal to be offloaded. Despite the supervisor not agreeing to his demands, the trucks were eventually allowed to offload the coal. This conversation was recorded by the truck’s fleet vehicle camera system.
“An internal Eskom investigation confirmed that Mr Magagula had indeed solicited a bribe from the hauler and his supervisor. It was also established that the coal delivered met Eskom’s specifications, contrary to Mr Magagula’s claims,” Eskom said.
He was arrested at the Camden Power Station on 11 October 2023.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any information related to unlawful activities, including illegal electricity sales, fraud, theft of coal, fuel oil, diesel and critical infrastructure crimes to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 11 27 22 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 09/02/2024 - 12:22
Eskom lights the way to women empowerment
Following the conclusion of Women’s Month, President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised the leadership of Eskom and other state-owned entities for their efforts in promoting gender equality in the workplace.
In his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President called on other companies, both public and private, to put in place deliberate programmes to eradicate workplace discrimination and make workplaces more conducive to women’s participation and development.
“Companies need to empower women in decision-making and technical roles. This is to ensure that every workplace and every occupation reflects the demographics of our country.
“We must commend the leadership of Eskom and of other state-owned entities, as well as many other businesses, for all they are doing to advance gender equality in the workplace.
“By continuing and intensifying this work, we can make sure that we have more and more to celebrate during Women’s Month in the years to come,” the President said in his newsletter on Monday.
During Women's Month, President Ramaphosa said the nation has celebrated the remarkable achievements of South African women in various aspects of life, acknowledging the significant progress made in advancing women's positions in society.
However, the President said government also recognises the persistent challenges and the crucial work ahead to achieve a truly non-sexist and equal society.
Keeping the lights on
Concurrently, the country has surpassed 150 days without load shedding. The President said this is a testament to the dedicated efforts of Eskom's leadership and staff in improving the performance of its power stations.
While there is much attention on what Eskom is doing to stabilise the electricity system, President Ramaphosa said another significant change has been quietly underway at the company over the course of the last few years.
He noted that women are taking a more prominent role in the work of Eskom and are playing a pivotal role in keeping the country’s lights on.
Transformation
“Two years ago I met with Eskom’s power station managers and I was pleased to see that a number of them were women. I found this to be a complete departure from the past where power station managers were always white men. This represented tremendous transformation on a demographic as well as gender basis.
“The inspiring story of Maserati Lesolang, the general manager of the Matla power station in Mpumalanga, is a demonstration of Eskom’s successes in growing a new generation of female leaders. Under Lesolang’s able leadership, Matla power station has implemented a turnaround plan resulting in it now being among Eskom’s better performing power stations,” he said.
The President further noted that at a number of state-owned enterprises, women are excelling not only in management and leadership positions, but also in technical roles and occupations that were previously the preserve of men.
Women Advancement Programme
He highlighted that within Eskom itself, women are working as power station managers, engineers, artisans, operators and technicians.
“This is the result of a deliberate and sustained initiative to increase female representation in the form of Eskom’s Women Advancement Programme. The programme was launched ten years ago to redress the under-representation of women in leadership and technical roles at Eskom,” the President said.
The programme’s focus has been on creating a pipeline of female leaders. It has also focused on transforming workplace culture to make it more gender-friendly, on skilling and training more women to occupy specialist roles, to conduct outreach in communities where Eskom operates, and to address issues of equal work for equal pay.
Among the achievements of the programme since its inception has been that just over 33% of Eskom’s workforce is now female, 20% of Eskom executives are women, and women occupy approximately 43% of senior management roles.
The President said this is important progress, but there is still same way to go to achieve gender parity.
“Eskom has succeeded in narrowing the gender pay gap from 41% to below 6%. The company’s procurement spend on black-women owned businesses has increased from R6 billion in 2013 to over R16 billion by 2022.
“The national power utility continues to invest heavily in skilling and training for women, with just over half of further study opportunities at Eskom taken up by women,” he said.
Another key focus area of the programme is conducting outreach at schools and in communities to encourage female learners to consider future careers at Eskom.
Earlier this year Eskom also launched a Young Professionals Development Programme, a graduate trainee programme that places participants in positions across the span of its operations. Eskom has made a concerted effort to encourage female graduates to apply.
South Africa commemorates Women’s Month annually in August.
This year’s commemoration of Women’s Day on 9 August, marked 68 years to the day since 20 000 women of diverse backgrounds from across South Africa marched on the Union Buildings to protest against the extension of pass laws to women. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Mon, 09/02/2024 - 13:45
Deputy President commends BRICS New Development Bank for pledges
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has expressed his gratitude to the BRICS New Development Bank for its backing of South African infrastructure investment.
“I want to express my gratitude once again for the bank's pledge, and specifically for the promises made regarding the bank's assistance for South African infrastructure investment. In this regard, we take note of the US$5.6 billion in loans extended to our country over the last eight years,” the Deputy President said.
He was addressing the Energy Seminar convened by the BRICS New Development Bank at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Saturday.
The NDB has approved $2.3 billion for 10 renewable energy projects, including solar PV, wind, hydropower, biomass, and hybrid systems with storage. These projects aim to install a 2.8GW generation capacity, reducing over 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
“We also appreciate the bank's plans to assist Transnet in resolving the deficiencies in freight rail infrastructure. The Transnet project in particular is of utmost importance in guaranteeing a goods system that is internationally competitive, allowing for the continuous expansion and diversification of the country's economy,” Mashatile said.
He highlighted that during their discussions they had agreed that a challenge was the sluggish payment of authorised projects in South Africa. He discussed the matter with the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and his team at National Treasury, who have promised to attend to it.
“We are also impressed that the bank has appointed former National Treasury official Mr Monale Ratsoma as its Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President. We will work with you to ensure that the pledge that the bank made of US$3 billion at the BRICS Summit comes to reality because it is focused on supporting our energy strategy,” he said.
Deputy President Mahsatile told the NDP President that the government is especially eager to learn from China's experience in rapidly scaling up renewable energy capacity and modernising its grid infrastructure; India's successes in promoting rural electrification and integrating large-scale renewable energy projects; Brazil's expertise in hydroelectric power and bioenergy and Russia's strategies for managing a vast transmission network and its progress in nuclear energy.
“We hope to gain insights into effective models for private sector participation in transmission infrastructure development; strategies for balancing grid stability with the integration of variable renewable energy sources; innovative financing mechanisms for large-scale energy projects and best practices in managing the socio-economic aspects of energy transitions.
“Specifically, one of the lessons we are learning from one of the BRICS Member Nations is that they have invested in the creation of new cities as a method to eradicate poverty. We are of the same opinion that it is imperative to allocate resources towards the construction of new cities in Africa in order to alter the spatial perspective of our cities,” he said.
“As we collaborate with the NDB, we will invest in new cities in response to today's realities, which are growing urbanisation, migration, climate change, poverty, unemployment, and pandemic management. The future is in the cities.”
The Deputy President told delegates that if South Africa accelerates the construction of these cities, it will address the large influx of people from rural areas moving to urban areas, which has put tremendous strain on cities, causing traffic congestion, housing infrastructure backlogs, and, to some extent, an increase in crime rates.
“However, as we develop these cities, we must remember that sustainable cities require dependable, inexpensive, and renewable energy to operate. High-energy consumption patterns, rising energy costs, and environmental deterioration caused by the use of fossil fuels render cities vulnerable and inefficient,” he said.
The Deputy President presented some of the key initiatives and reforms government has undertaken.
He spoke about the process of unbundling Eskom into three separate entities: generation, transmission, and distribution. This separation will enhance efficiency, improve accountability, and open up the sector to much-needed competition and investment.
“We have also implemented a debt relief programme for Eskom, allocating R254 billion over the next three years. This financial support is crucial for Eskom's operational stability and will enable the utility to invest in critical maintenance and upgrades of existing infrastructure,” he said.
The country is expanding generation capacity where several steps have been taken already.
“To this end, we are implementing an ambitious transmission expansion plan, including piloting Independent Power Transmission (IPT) projects and streamlining regulations to accelerate the development of transmission infrastructure.
“This initiative aims to unlock renewable energy potential in the Northern, Eastern, and Western Cape provinces. The aim is to connect new generation capacity to the grid.
“As we pursue these reforms, we remain steadfast in our commitment to a just energy transition. We have, however, decided not to transition into the dark. We are a coal-endowed country,” he said.
The Deputy President said the reforms and initiatives were just the beginning as the country is open to learning, adapting, and collaborating. – SAnews.gov.za
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Sun, 09/01/2024 - 11:40