STAGE 6 load shedding is a step back for Mzansi.
This is according to the minister in the presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
She said this during a media briefing in Tshwane on the outcomes of the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 13 September.
Briefing the media on Thursday, 14 September, Ntshavheni said the cabinet had been on the current planned maintenance programme being implemented by Eskom to ensure the sustainability of Eskom’s plant.
“The implementation of stage 6 load shedding in the last week was a regress from the trends that prevailed in the previous weeks of lower stages of load shedding,” said Ntshavheni.
She said the increased stages were caused by the implementation of the planned fleet maintenance programme.
Ntshavheni pointed out that Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa will continue to update Mzansi on the progress being made to address the current electricity crisis.
“Cabinet was assured that the current implementation of increased stages of load shedding is a short-term phase as Eskom prepares for more sustained and lessened stages of load shedding in the not-so-distant future,” Ntshavheni added.
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She said the Cabinet was pleased with the 0,6% economic growth in the second quarter.
The minister said the continued improvements in manufacturing data indicate improvements in the production capacity contributed to an increase in total manufacturing employment.
Ntshaveni said the Cabinet welcomed 750 jobs created at the Rainbow Chickens facility in Hammarsdale, KZN, which points to the success of the implementation of the Poultry Masterplan.
In 2017, Rainbow Chickens retrenched more than 1000 workers and closed the operations.
“After the adoption of the masterplan, the government implemented a variety of measures to safeguard the local poultry industry, including placing anti-dumping duties on poultry imported from producers in five countries.
"Rainbow Chickens has since re-opened and invested R220m. Overall employment within the poultry industry has been reported to have increased by 2780 jobs, and more than R2 billion in fresh investment has been implemented," she added.
Another issue that the cabinet welcomed was the ramping up of Operation Bring Back to identify and recover illegally occupied state buildings.
Ntshaveni said the government was pleased with close to R5 billion investment pledges by auto component manufacturers made at the National Association of Automotive Component & Allied Manufacturers show recently.
“These pledges, by companies operating in South Africa, show the confidence of the industry in the SA market and the opportunities to localise production of components, providing auto assemblers with a more resilient supply base.
Ntshaveni said the Cabinet reiterated its commitment to implementing the National Health Insurance to ensure all South Africans have access to quality healthcare.
