Minister of Electricity given power for innovation

The powers given to the Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa can be viewed as a platform to herald innovation… writes Godfrey Sigwela.

Ramokgopa would be able to apply and display what made him be appointed the Minister of the country’s most limited resource, electricity.

Already the Minister has mentioned his intention to apply sophisticated technology to reduce the amount of electricity geysers are consuming. Though the idea may bring a conflict of interest from home owners, it is innovative.

One concerned resident says the geysers identified by the Minister fall under the Distribution Stage of Eskom. That’s where the bulk of Eskom electricity is consumed and wasted.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has instructed the Minister of Electricity to use an equitable transparent tendering system in order to generate more capacity. But the issuing of tenders is one area that could delay the progress for Ramokgopa.

As one concerned South African citizen says, it’s common in South Africa to issue tenders to anyone. Just by registering a catering company or a cleaning business, one can get a tender to construct RDP houses!

Dozens of building amateurs were given tenders to construct RDP houses. But due to the poor state of those RDP houses and them being a danger to home owners, the SA government wasted million of rands and demolished those RDP houses. Then started over again, building better houses.

South Africans will be hoping that the Minister of Electricity appoints tenders more wisely, with some real light at the end of the loadshedding tunnel.

By Godfrey Sigwela