- South Africa’s Minister of Energy, Mr Jeff Radebe was speaking at Chaba Wind Farm in the Eastern Cape earlier today.
- The Minister highlighted that Independent Power Producers (IPP’s) confirm that climate change responses from the government goals of pursuing development and poverty eradication do not have to be separated.
The Chaba Wind Farm is supporting Endalweni Trading, a women-owned business, planting tomatoes, beans and intending on entering the market of fish farming. The project is not only providing jobs, and increasing food security, but is also providing the local community with skills and promoting economic livelihoods.
The wind farm is also supporting Makhazi Women’s Cooperative, a successful livestock farming initiative for previously unemployed women. They are now earning a sustainable income.
The Chaba Wind Farm is also supporting education in the community. The Hlumani High School, the only public secondary school in the rural Komga area, has benefited from this support not only to improve the quality of teaching and learning, but also to develop the sports grounds and the school’s extramural sports program. The no-fee school, with its 24 educators, are committed to creating a stimulating academic environment for the realisation of the 557 learners’ full potential.
There are also 160 school learners participating in a sport programme funded by Chaba Wind Farm. The Thobela Sports Consulting, has grown out of this programme, thus allowing for income-generation. Thoba Sports Consulting is providing expertise in the field of sports management to assist organisations with the creation and implementation of sports programmes for the benefit of communities based in Port Elizabeth, surrounding areas and the Eastern Cape in general.
The Minister pointed out that “during the Chaba Wind Farm’s project lifespan of 20 years, it will inject almost R26 million into local upliftment projects that will directly benefit members of historically disadvantages communities in the region”.
The Minister went on to thank all the different parties and partners in these projects, for their contribution in ensuring that more and more of our children can have an opportunity to get decent education and more of our people can have income-generating opportunities and jobs.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
