President Cyril Ramaphosa says that South Africa remains committed to environmental goals despite ‘upping the ante’ to tackle rolling blackouts.
“South Africa has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 2030 to within a target range which, at its upper level, is compatible with limiting global temperature increase to 1.5ºC.” “The process of re-examining our timeframes is not a reversal of our position on the just energy transition. Other countries have had to do the same in recent years without deviating from their long-term shift to renewable energy sources,” Ramaphosa said.
The new electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa proposed that ageing coal-fired power plants should see renewed focus, going against the traditional plan of making a hard shift towards renewable energy – causing much debate between the energy minister, Gwede Mantashe, as well as the minister of public enterprises, Pravin Gordhan.