Cape Town – China is donating equipment to at least 500 public facilities in South Africa to provide uninterrupted alternative power supply and protect them from load shedding.
The donation includes generators, power supply vehicles, and off-grid PV energy storage systems.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa during the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with eight Chinese entities.
The signing ceremony was held on the side lines of the Brics Summit, currently underway in Johannesburg.
“Yesterday we exchanged letters in relation to the technical equipment that will be assisting us to provide sustainable electricity to some of the major public installations like clinics, hospitals and police stations. We are going to get 552 of those units [and] 450 of them are already on the way.
[WATCH] Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says there are no conditions attached to China’s donations to South Africa.#Newzroom405 #BRICSSummit2023 pic.twitter.com/3DIhoaa9JH
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) August 23, 2023
“It means that over 500 public facilities…are now going to have access to uninterrupted alternative power supply and thank you to the Chinese for the generous contribution. [The equipment] range from 6kw up to 200kw [and] 200kw can support a clinic and a medium sized hospital so this is true relief to the South African people,” the minister said.
The South African government has already moved to exclude some 76 hospitals from load shedding with work underway to shield at least 46 others from rolling power cuts being implemented in the country.
The Chinese entities have significant experience and technology in power generation, including coal, renewable energy, and nuclear, which could help South Africa address its power challenges.
While the donated equipment aims to alleviate power supply issues, the minister did not confirm whether this agreement would eliminate load shedding entirely.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Twitter/@Kgosientsho_R
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
