Discussions regarding the possible expansion of the powers of the minister of electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, are under way with President Cyril Ramaphosa expected to make an announcement on the matter soon.
Ramokgopa’s appointment into the cabinet in February is part of the government’s list of plans to end load-shedding. Other plans included declaring a national state of disaster over the energy crisis, which has since been lifted.
Ramokgopa, public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan and minerals & energy minister Gwede Mantashe are responsible for the implementation of the plan.
Ramokgopa is yet to receive ministerial powers “but we have had a discussion with the president”, the minister of electricity says.
“It is the prerogative of the president ... but he did make an undertaking that he will be making an announcement soon,” Ramokgopa told Business Day on the sidelines of the investment conference on Thursday.
Mantashe is responsible for setting out and implementing energy policy and Gordhan is the government’s shareholder representative. A possible transfer of powers to Ramokgopa would likely require the president to enact powers authorised to him in section 97 of the constitution, which empowers the president to transfer powers or functions from one member of the cabinet to another.
The energy crisis was centre stage of the investment conference where SA, led by Ramaphosa, used the event to woo investors despite the energy crisis, blockages in the freight and rail sector and crime affecting investor confidence.
At the conference Ramaphosa urged domestic and international investors to put their money behind SA despite the country’s energy crisis, which taints international perceptions of the country.
On Thursday SA reached the initial R1.2-trillion investment target with Ramaphosa assuring the 1,300 delegates that the energy sector remains the government’s priority.
“The lack of reliability in electricity supply weakens business and consumer confidence, taints international perceptions about our country and affects investment sentiment and decisions.”
He also announced the establishment of a new logistics crisis committee to fix ports and rail to boost investment as part of his target of attracting R2-trillion in new investments over the next five years.
“The Energy Action Plan presents a clear path to reduce the severity and frequency of load-shedding in the short term and achieve energy security in the long term ... Our immediate focus is on improving the performance of our existing coal-fired power stations as they continue to provide the base load of our energy.”
Ramaphosa also announced an overhaul of the work visa system in a bid to attract skills needed to boost investment, which is one of the measures of attracting new investments.
He said the government would streamline application requirements to reduce the time frames for obtaining a work visa.
The president added the government would work towards decentralising the adjudication of visa applications to foreign missions.
“We will introduce a trusted employer scheme for qualifying companies and establish a points-based system to provide more flexible pathways for skilled applicants in line with global best practice.”
“We will introduce new visa categories for remote workers and start-ups to attract dynamic entrepreneurs and promote spending in our economy,” said Ramaphosa.
He said the government was also expanding the e-Visa system to include an additional 20 countries over and above the 14 now eligible and would extend the e-Visa system to cover new visa categories such as study, business and intra-company transfer visas.
with TimesLIVE
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