FEATURE
Writer: Allison Cooper
SONA 2020:
There’s light ahead for SA
D
uring his State of the Na-
“For Eskom to undertake the fun-
tion Address (SONA) on
damental maintenance necessary
President Ramaphosa’s announce-
13 February, President Cyril
to improve the reliability of supply,
ment that measures will be put in
Ramaphosa assured South Africans
loadshedding will remain a pos-
place “to enable municipalities in
that government is firmly focussed
sibility for the immediate future.”
good financial standing to procure
on fixing the fundamentals this year. “Government is committed to pursuing critical areas of growth and
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Government will be implement-
year, the most notable of which is
their own power from independent power producers”. Another government priority this
ensuring excellence in planning
ing various measures to change
year is the finalisation of the Cli-
and execution,” he added.
the trajectory of energy genera-
mate Change Bill, which provides
tion in South Africa in the coming
a regulatory framework for the ef-
One of the most critical issues tackled by the President was loadshedding. While loadshedding remains a possibility for the immediate future, government will implement measures to energy
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers t he State of t he Nation Address.
generation in the country. “Loadshedding has had a debilitating effect on our country. It has severely set back our efforts to rebuild the economy and create jobs. “Every time it occurs, it disrupts people’s lives, causing frustration, inconvenience and hardship,” the President stressed. He explained that, at its core, loadshedding is the inevitable consequence of Eskom’s inability over many years – due to debt, lack of capacity and state capture – to service its power plants.
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Public Sector Manager • March 2020