Minister in The Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will this afternoon, 20 September 2023, account in the National Assembly by replying to questions for oral reply.

The Minister oversees the implementation of the Energy Action Plan which principally aims to end load shedding and achieve sustainable energy security in South Africa.

The Minister will answer questions from members of Parliament on a range of issues pertaining to electricity including the operation of Kusile Power Station Units, Komati Power Station, cross-boarder power purchases and planned maintenance, amongst other issues.

Details are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Time: 15h00
Venue: National Assembly, Parliament, Cape Town

Livestream links: Parliament of RSA YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzKKqH8ZkRo / 
Twitter - https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1yNxaZaeyrRKj
 

Media enquiries: Tsakane Khambane in the Ministry of Electricity on 082 084 5566

Issued by: The Ministry in The Presidency for Electricity
Pretoria

Minister in The Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will on 21 September 2023, host a Transmission Financing Seminar with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) to galvanise discussions on the financing of South Africa’s Transmission Development Plan which seeks to expand, support and secure the sustainability of South Africa’s energy mix and electricity supply.

The development and expansion of South Africa’s electricity transmission infrastructure is a critical cog to enabling diverse energy solutions-which are geographically located in various parts of the country - to contribute to the country’s electricity grid. This will significantly strengthen and increase South Africa’s electricity supply and capacitate the energy sector in meeting global decarbonisation targets and ensuring South Africa’s long-term energy security and energy sovereignty.

The Seminar will bring together Government, energy industry veterans and potential private sector investors to engage in a critical conversation on South Africa’s transmission infrastructure requirements for long-term energy security; explore alternative funding mechanisms for maintaining, modernising and expanding the national grid and an exchange on international experience of countries that have had similar challenges and what models were pursued to overcome these challenges.

Minister Ramokgopa will deliver a keynote address at the beginning of the seminar. The Minister’s address will be streamed on GovernmentZA and PresidencyZA digital platforms (direct links will be shared will all media on 21 September 2023).

The event will take place under Chatham House Rules.

The event is closed to the media. 

The Minister will brief the media and the end of the seminar as follows:

Date: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Time: 16h00
Venue: The Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Sandton
 
Media that would like to attend the media briefing should RSVP by sending their details to Kutlwano Huma on 078 133 1483 by no later than 13h00 on Wednesday, 20 September 2023. 

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane, Ministry of Electricity on 082 084 5566 and Pheliswa Mayekiso, JSE on 084 486 0502

Issued by: The Ministry in The Presidency responsible for Electricity
Pretoria

The Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa will host the weekly media briefing to update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan. 

Members of the media are invited to attend the briefing as follows:
Date: Sunday, 17 September 2023
Time: 10:00
Venue: GCIS Auditorium, Tshedimosetso House, 1035 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield, Pretoria

Live Streaming details:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/GovernmentZA  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GovernmentZA  
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GovernmentZA 

Media enquiries: Tsakane Khambane in  the Ministry of Electricity - 082 084 5566

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa will host the weekly media briefing to update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan. 

Members of the media are invited to attend the briefing as follows:
Date: Sunday, 10 September 2023
Time: 10:00
Venue: GCIS Auditorium, Tshedimosetso House, 1035 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield, Pretoria

Live Streaming details:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/GovernmentZA  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GovernmentZA  
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GovernmentZA 

Media enquiries: Tsakane Khambane, Spokesperson in the Ministry of Electricity, 082 084 5566

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will on Monday, 11 September 2023, undertake an oversight visit to Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga.

The Minister will be assessing progress on units that are planned to return to service.

During the visit, the Minister will receive an update report, which will be followed by a site inspection of the units.

The units are expected to contribute to to the grid and improve the aggregate energy availability.

The Minister’s visit is in line with the national effort to ensure South Africa has enough energy to ultimately end load shedding. 

Media is invited to attend and cover the visit as follows:
Date: Monday, 11 September 2023
Time: 11:15
Venue: Kusile Power Station, Mpumalanga

All members of the media who wish to attend are requested to fill in access forms by no later than Friday, 08 September 2023 at 12:00. The forms can be requested from Kutlwano Huma on 078 133 1482

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane on 082 084 5566 or tsakane@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa will tomorrow, 05 September 2023, provide an update on the  performance of the  electricity grid. 

Media is invited as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Time: 10:00
Teams link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MDdjOWNhYTUtNTNhMi00MzI0LWJlOTEtMjg3Y2EzY2ZhZWIz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%226f4f833e-289f-4387-a0c3-745773c86227%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f2e98e75-4918-4463-9cad-2454b96421da%22%7d

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane, Ministerial Spokesperson, on 082 084 5566 or tsakane@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has concluded his working visit to Nairobi Kenya, where he was  handed chairship of the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA) on the sidelines of the Inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) which took place from 04-06 September 2023.

Green hydrogen and its associated large scale renewable energy production has the potential to support the expansion of the electricity transmission infrastructure, to add additional renewable energy generation capacity and to support the local development of renewable energy. As such it is a key component of South Africa’s future energy mix to achieve sustainable energy security.

AGHA was formed in May 2022, by six African countries, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa, to drive decarbonisation through green hydrogen. 

The alliance seeks to intensify collaboration and  supercharge the development of green hydrogen projects on the African continent in line with the Just Energy Transition. 

It focuses on public and regulatory policy, capacity building, financing and certification needs to mobilise green hydrogen production for domestic use and export.

The inclusion of the Ethiopia and Angola’s membership were also announced alongside South Africa’s chairship.

Minister Ramokgopa expressed that he will use the Chairship to advance the green hydrogen agenda on the continent in line with the objectives of the alliance and support opportunities for peer to peer learning, technology transfer, economic and employment opportunities. 

During the ACS, the minister participated in panel sessions where he shared lessons on South Africa’s energy outlook and the role of green hydrogen in supporting energy security and driving green industrialisation.

On the margins of the Summit the Minister engaged in multiple high level bilateral meetings to explore energy collaborations and meaningful partnerships in the energy space. 

The minister’s participation at the Summit is underpinned by a commitment to consistent, sustainable and affordable energy supply for South Africa. 

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane on 082 0845566 or tsakane@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Minister in The Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has arrived in Nairobi, in the Republic of Kenya, to participate in the Inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) which takes place from 04 – 06 September 2023, under the theme “Green Growth and Climate Finance for Africa and the World”.

The Summit is hosted by the Government of Kenya as the African Union’s (AU) Chair of the Committee of African Heads of States on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).

The ACS will draw African Heads of State, global leaders, and multiple stakeholders to deliberate, collaborate and exchange knowledge and experiences on climate change action and sustainability in Africa.

Joining the South African Delegation led by Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, Minister Ramokgopa has been invited to participate in a Ministerial panel focusing on "Africa's Green Hydrogen, Industry & Trade Potential".

This session which takes place today, 04 September 2023, will outline Africa’s potential for green industrial production and massive untapped green hydrogen production potential, providing the opportunity to meet local, regional, and global demand for energy, industrial feedstock, and derivative products such as fuels and fertiliser and to drive significant economic growth.
 
On Tuesday, 05 September 2023, the Minister will participate in the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA) forum, where he will engage in a Panel session on Financing green hydrogen in Africa – from Bridgetown to Nairobi.

LOAD SHEDDING STAGE 5

The Minister is concerned about the current load shedding stage 5 situation and is in constant contact with the leadership of Eskom’s Generation team to ensure that units are returned to service as speedily as possible.

ACS SUMMIT LIVESTREAM LINKS

Non-attending media can follow the proceedings of the Summit on the following livestreaming links set up by the ACS:

LinkedIn Live Schedule: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7103313166712864768/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/CCXHKjaH0F0?feature=share
Website: https://acs23.org/live-stream

Media enquires: Tsakane Khambane, Ministerial Spokesperson, on 082 084 5566 or tsakane@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Ministry in The Presidency for Electricity
Pretoria

The Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will host the weekly media briefing to update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan. 

Members of the media are invited to attend the briefing as follows:

Date: Saturday, 02 September 2023
Time: 09h00
Venue: GCIS Auditorium, Tshedimosetso House, 1035 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield, Pretoria

Live Streaming details:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/GovernmentZA  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GovernmentZA  
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GovernmentZA 

NB: For this week, the media briefing will take place on Saturday instead of Sunday. 

Media enquiries: Tsakane Khambane, Spokesperson to the Ministry of Electricity, on 082 084 5566

Issued by: Government Communication and Information System
Pretoria

The article published on 27 August 2023 by Daily Investor titled “Ramokgopa accused of misleading South Africa” is in itself misleading.
 
The Ministry of Electricity has noted numerous inaccuracies in the article that qualify the article as misleading.
 
It states that Minister Ramokgopa signed a joint memorandum of understanding with eight Chinese companies during the 15th BRICS Summit to ensure that all public health facilities, schools, and police stations in South Africa have alternative sources of energy.
 
This is factually incorrect as the Memorandum of Cooperation signed with eight Chinese companies focuses on enhancing South Africa's energy security through infrastructure and technology development, human capital development, and research amongst other objectives.
 
The substance of the agreement that Daily Investor is reporting about, instead, relates to the Exchange of Letters and resultant Technical Assistance Programme, under which the emergency equipment will be donated by the Chinese Government to South Africa.  
 
This agreement, unlike what the Daily Investor incorrectly reported, was signed during the People’s Republic of China’s Head of State Visit to South Africa at the Union Buildings on 22 August 2023, not in Johannesburg.

Under the programme the first shipment of equipment will include 450 petrol generators, which will be deployed to critical facilities, including hospitals and clinics.
 
The Minister has been consistent in stating that the facilities will be identified by Provinces.
 
Furthermore, the details and potential benefits of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed with the eight Chinese companies were not in any way scanty, as purported by Hilton Trollip in the article, instead the substance and details of the agreement were openly presented during an open signing ceremony attended by media.
 
Mr Trollip’s misleading inaccuracies, as expressed in the article, could have been countered with facts, had the Daily Investor given the Ministry a right to reply before publishing a one sided article.
 
 
Media enquires: Ms Tsakane Khambane, Spokesperson in the Ministry of Electricity, on 082 084 5566

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria