TSHWANE mayor Stevens Mokgalapa on Friday launched electric vehicle charging bays in celebration of Earth Hour.
On Saturday, he celebrated the global campaign by pledging to protect natural resources and fight climate change.
The mayor also participated in Earth Hour by switching off lights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.
He said: “As we find ourselves in a renewed period of load shedding, we are mindful of the frustration being experienced by our residents.”
Mokgalapa said many people had invested in generators due to load shedding, which are a source of noise and air pollution.
During the launch of the charging bays at Tshwane House, the mayor thanked the UN Industrial Development Organisation for sponsoring the two stations.
The electric vehicles rely on batteries or fuel cells to supply electricity for the motor, and the batteries used in electric cars are similar to those found in laptops.
Electric vehicles have the potential to reduce global warming, brown haze and toxic pollution from cars and trucks.
However, if the vehicles are recharged primarily using electricity generated from coal, the global warming pollution footprint is only a little better than the average petrol vehicle in South Africa today.
