Pretoria - Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson has launched the Ngwaabe Integrated Energy Centre (IeC) in Limpopo, aimed at enhancing access to energy in rural areas.
Launched at the Feta-Kgomo Greater Tubatse Municipality, on Friday, the centre was launched in partnership with Shell SA and Feta-Kgomo Greater Tubatse Municipality.
“I am pleased to note that Shell SA has come on board with their first Integrated Energy Centre here in Limpopo, which we know to be among the most energy poor provinces nationally. Their participation in this commendable programme strengthens the existing relationship between government and the private sector - particularly the energy industry,” said the Minister.
Shell SA has invested R18 million in the project that currently employs 16 locals of the Ngwaabe village.
“This is true empowerment of black South Africans and I call upon more energy companies to invest in the programme as part of the transformation agenda,” said Minister Joemat-Pettersson.
The IeC is also a one-stop energy shop that is owned and operated by a community Cooperative project. It provides energy solutions to communities, access to affordable, safe and sustainable energy services.
The Integrated Energy Centre programme is an initiative of the department’s response to the White Paper on Energy Policy which advocates for increased affordable energy services to disadvantaged communities to stimulate economic development by creating investor friendly climate, and securing energy supply by encouraging diversity of energy supplies and energy carriers.
This programme is designed to make a significant contribution to job creation, poverty alleviation and rural enterprise development.
The department has aligned the Integrated Energy Centre programme to the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme which is aimed at improving socio-economic conditions of rural communities.
Noting the critical role of energy in improving the quality of people’s lives, Integrated Energy Centres are targeted at rural areas of our country, which are generally plagued by energy poverty.
To date there are nine operational centres across four provinces (the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Kwa-Zulu Natal, and Northern Cape), while more are in the pipeline and will be announced soon.
The Integrated Energy Centre will open up a space for cleaner alternative energy products.
“Going forward, government also intends to integrate clean energy technologies into this IeC and others, so that all of us can be responsive towards the concerning issues of climate change. We live in a country which is a part of the global village. Whatever happens in the globe affects us as South Africans. We believe that through the Integrated Energy Centre programme we are contributing to uplifting the socio-economic conditions of our people,” said Minister Joemat-Pettersson . – SAnews.gov.za
