Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development

1. (a) The Province’s emergency funds are meant for procuring and installing the back-up generators for municipal infrastructure, which will immediately mitigate the risks posed by load-shedding to ensure the sustained delivery of water and sanitation services. Any failures within the water and sewer networks would have negative consequences towards economic growth and development as well as the possibility of disease outbreaks due to either inadequate clean water supply or pollution of the environment including watercourses from sewer pumpstations and wastewater treatment works. The backup energy is to ensure that municipalities continue to provide basic services to the citizens.

(b) The backup generators are to support municipalities to alleviate immediate challenges posed by loadshedding as discussed above. The Strategy is to employ energy demand management as the first step, whilst putting in place medium to long-term energy solutions for the Western Cape Province to reduce the reliance on the national grid.

The energy mix such as solar, wind, gas among others, in order to rollout the plan and implementation of the strategy, require collaboration amongst municipalities, private entities and the provincial government to co-plan and co-implement. This approach will ensure that any benefits that emanate from the load reduction by any municipality or entity will be shared by the province as a whole. This will benefit every household irrespective of their social class in terms of limiting the impact of load-shedding.

2. Based on the recent study conducted by my Department, it was evident that the municipalities’ needs are huge in comparison to the R89 million provided by the Provincial Government. Municipalities have already diverted budgets from other basic needs towards procurement of backup energy.  Therefore, this grant contribution towards municipal fiscus to continue procuring back-up generators for their critical water and sanitation infrastructure. Each municipality will be responsible for procurement, installation, operation and maintenance of the procured generators. 
3. There will be a provincial-wide temporary job opportunities created during installation of back-up generators at municipal level. Furthermore, additional staff will be employed by the Department of Local Government on a 3-year contract basis to assist with the planning and implementation of the energy programme. The same team will also assist municipalities with professional technical advisory services.