B Sonjica: Electricity Switch-on of Embabe Village

11 August 2006

Introduction
To the Honourable Mayor
The Honourable Speaker and Councillors
Local Amakhosi
District and provincial representatives
Members of the religious fraternity
Parents, youth, schoolchildren and the community at large

At no other point of time have we ever been as well placed as we are today
to take decisive forward steps towards the creation of a humane and people
centred society. The use of all the resources at our disposal to provide
services for effectual transformation and governance of minerals and energy
sector for economic growth and development, thereby improving quality of life,
remains our core objective.

Today, that objective manifests itself in the switch on of 1 130 connections
at a cost of R4 588 576 for the 2005/06 financial year in the Mbonambi Local
Municipality. This is by no means the end of the story.

About half of the rural population has access to electricity. The number of
electrified households in urban centres is far higher than in rural areas. To
date, about 10 788 households are without access to electricity within the
Mbonambi Local Municipality alone. This constitutes about 1,32% of the total
KwaZulu-Natal provincial electrification backlog which is estimated at 814
533.

For this reason, Government is committed to accelerate the electrification
of previously disadvantaged communities and speeding up the delivery of basic
services. We intend to connect 6 986 households at a cost of R50 432 250 during
the 2006/07 financial year.

Our government is committed to respond with all necessary seriousness and
determination to all the challenges facing our country, and play its role to
give new content to our Age of Hope. I must say that Government has already
made some great strides in the process of bringing affordable energy to
all.

We are aware that for most rural women, life is centred on the collection of
firewood, fetching of water, and walking long distances before any meaningful
domestic activity can take place. As Government we are saying, this is
unacceptable. Given the fact that this month is particularly dedicated to
women, we need to ensure that their aspirations and rights espoused during the
1956 “Women’s Anti-Pass Campaign March to the Union Building”, are elevated as
a priority on the National Agenda.

Our intention is not just to provide energy sources, but also to ensure that
they translate into the enhancement of quality of life, especially for those
rural women and children.

Provision of electricity has a potential to facilitate income generation and
job creation in rural areas. There are health benefits coupled to electricity
in that it is cleaner compared to other energy sources, which cause hazards
such as respiratory problems and eye infections.

Another Government initiative aimed at alleviating poverty is the provision
of Free Basic Electricity (FBE). The objective of FBE, which was launched in
October 2001 as a pilot project, is to provide relief to poor households.

The national Free Basic Electricity programme commenced in July 2003 on a
self targeting basis, providing 50 kWh per month per legally connected point of
supply on shorting a limited current output basis. Each household connected to
the Solar Home System receives up to R48 per month.

The FBE programme is funded through the Department of Provincial and Local
Government for all municipalities through the equitable share allocation.

Closure

I want to emphasise the fact that as government, it is our priority to
ensure that the frontiers of poverty are indeed pushed back through various
interventions. For us to reach our objective it is crucial to address the
challenges of poverty, underdevelopment and marginalisation confronting those
caught within the Second Economy, to ensure that the poor in our country share
in our growing prosperity.

We cannot be able to achieve all of that without the necessary support and
participation from our communities.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Minerals and Energy
11 August 2006