- The Executive Mayor of the City of Joburg, Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda, delivered his eagerly anticipated second State of the City Address on Thursday, 2 May 2024.
- Here is an extract from his speech on the energy sector:
For too long, our city has been struggling with the endemic load shedding that has plagued South Africans. However, I am pleased to declare that we are taking firm measures to confront this obstacle directly. We recognize that we cannot tackle this crisis alone. It is for this reason that we have established partnerships with the Gauteng provincial government and Eskom to address it collectively.
We note and appreciate that the increased focus on planned maintenance at Eskom has allowed us to enjoy a temporary reprieve from load shedding over the last month, with predicted record low stages of load shedding for the coming winter months.
Our entity, City Power, is also taking strides to strengthen our energy capacity. Through our partnership with the Gauteng government and Premier Panyaza Lesufi in particular, the John Ware substation’s open gas turbine has been brought back into operation, enabling the infusion of a noteworthy 50 megawatts into our network. This progressionmarks only the initial phase in our determination towards implementing innovative energy solutions and decreasing dependence on Eskom for uninterrupted electricity supply.
In the next financial year, we intend to add another 50 megawatts of power to our grid by bringing back online the Durban Street Substation. We have also planned for an additional 100 megawatts by the financial year’s end. Our dedication towards avoiding load shedding reflects in these actions aimed at protecting our citizens from discomfort and distress.
Collaboratively, we are working on innovative measures to reduce power outages like the implementation of load limiters and commissioning open-cycle gas turbines. Our consistent dedication towards progress combined with these interventions will guarantee a dependable energy supply for every citizen residing in Johannesburg.
Over the last year and in line with our commitment to make our communities safer, we have extended new high mast lighting systems in our townships and informal settlements to improve the safety and security of residents during the evenings and at times of load shedding. Our high mast lights are powered by Solar, giving them the ability to function outside of direct power supply from Eskom and City Power.
Linkto the Mayor’s full speech HERE
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
