WATER security, the Transnet strike, Eskom and illegal mining were top of the agenda when the cabinet met on Wednesday, 19 October.
Briefing the media on the outcomes of the meeting on Thursday, 20 October, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said they were grateful to residents for following water restrictions in Joburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni to stabilise reservoir capacity.
Gungubele said the dams and reservoirs in Gauteng remained under pressure due to high temperatures and increased demand forced Rand Water to reduce supply to municipalities.
“The water utility supplies bulk potable water to more than 11 million people in Gauteng, parts of Mpumalanga, the Free State and North West,” he said.
He welcomed the three-year wage deal reached between Transnet and the United National Transport Union, which applies to the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025.
On Eskom, Gungubele said the power utility recently signed 30-year lease agreements with four independent power producer investors to construct new clean energy generation capacity at the Majuba and Tutuka power stations in Mpumalanga. He said the land leases would attract investment of around R40 billion.
“The four investors, HDF-Energy South Africa, Red Rocket SA, Sola Group and Mainstream Renewable Power Developments South Africa, will contribute at least 2 000 megawatts to the national electricity grid,” he said.
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Gungubele said the new generation capacity was expected to be connected to the grid within 24 to 36 months from financial closure.
He welcomed the seizure of firearms and the arrest of 20 suspects connected to illegal mining during an operation in Stilfontein, North West.
