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4 February 2008

All fourteen Gauteng municipalities have committed themselves to a 10% power load shedding in order to save energy and to improve communication with residents, businesses and industries when and how long they would be affected.

Following a three-hour meeting between municipalities, representatives from Eskom and the Department of Minerals and Energy on Monday, Gauteng Local Government MEC Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu told a media briefing in Johannesburg that municipalities have committed to energy saving as per Cabinet decision.

Yesterday's meeting, which was followed by a media briefing, was preceded by a workshop held in Johannesburg last week with municipalities to look at their plans on energy conservation and the effect of load shedding.

"What is that each municipality can and is going to do in responding to the National Cabinet's decision on how all of us can assist in saving energy as it is required is that everybody should contribute to the 10% energy that we need to save." So last week's meeting after we presented the Cabinet decision, municipalities then requested an opportunity to go back and look into what they are going to do within the available resources at their disposal on the basis of that today's (Monday) meeting was conceived which involved officials who are heading different utilities and various departments in municipalities dealing with electricity," said Mahlangu.

Mahlangu said load shedding as experienced nationally and especially in Gauteng as the country's economic hub, was a challenge that needed a co-ordinated and integrated approach. "We regard what is happening in Gauteng in particular as a development that we must all take responsibility of rather than shifting blame to Eskom or municipalities. We must however take this opportunity of this challenge that has arisen to do our bit as different entities, institutions and individuals to save electricity, "she said.

Mahlangu and the mayors also re-committed themselves to growing the province's economy and also to meet the 2012 target to electrify all Gauteng households. "We should also make sure that we assure Gauteng citizens who are currently without electricity that as government and municipalities we are committed to the 2012 targets of universal access to electricity as agreed at the World Summit of Sustainable Development and Millennium Development Goals that in Gauteng we are committed to that.

"We are also committed in growing Gauteng's economy by eight percent by 2014. This crisis has provided us with an opportunity to also reflect and recommit ourselves," added Mahlangu. City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor and South African Local Government Association (Salga) national Chairperson Amos Masondo said it was important to communicate messages of hope during load shedding. He added that eGoli Gas will speed up infrastructure to all households, and that Eskom and City Power will provide better communication on load shedding and issue schedules.

All municipalities presented their plans to contribute to energy saving and also agreed to put energy efficient measures to all council and government buildings that all lights will be switched off after hours and those hospitals, police stations, prisons and the Gauteng Project among others must be exempted from load shedding.

For more information contact:
Themba Sepotokele
Tel: 011 355 5111
Cell: 082 490 9869

Issued by: Department of Local Government, Gauteng Provincial Government
4 February 2008
Source: SAPA