The construction of Kusile Power Plant in Mpumalanga will leave a legacy that people of Mpumalanga will be proud of. This was the sentiment expressed by the MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Norman Mokoena, when speaking at the official opening of the Kusile Power Station Exhibition at Emalahleni on 7 July 2011.
He says “direct construction employment is estimated at 10 000 jobs at peak, whilst on-going direct employment is estimated at 12 750 jobs, with a total of 51 000 people to be directly impacted on by the project.”
Since its inception more than 7000 jobs opportunities have been created, and out of that, 4000 were recruited around Emalahleni.
“The construction of the Kusile Power station comes at the time when our country is in dire need of employment opportunities, where majority of our people are unemployed particularly the youth,” stressed Mokoena.
The plant, which will cost R169 billion once completed in 2018, is expected to empower people of Nkangala District and Mpumalanga as a whole. It is expected to see the procurement process favouring established companies that will transfer their skills to the local entrepreneurs, and its tendering process made more accessible to the people from the province.
“We expect Eskom as a strategic wing of government to adopt and aggressively implement a strategy necessary to address the systematic exclusion of the majority of South Africans from fully participating in the economy,” said Mokoena.
Also in attendance, was the Emalahleni Executive Mayor Councillor, Salome Sithole who urged contractors to take advantage of the procurement opportunities that is offered by Eskom through the Kusile Power station.
“This exhibition provided by Eskom will change the perception that people have about the procurement processes in Eskom. This initiative will give contractors an opportunity to participate fully in the main stream economy of the country through the Black Economic Empowerment initiative,” said Ms Sithole.
Government is positive that contractors already supplying Eskom, will offer emerging contractors information and opportunities that involve procurement activities, skills development programmes, employment creation and corporate social investment programmes available for the local people.
