SA News: Moving SA towards an energy secure future

The next five years is about moving South Africa towards an energy secure future, with the Department of Energy already integrating their plans towards this goal.

According to Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson, her department has already started the process of ensuring a maximum level of alignment between their Strategic and Annual Performance Plan (APP) and the National Development Plan (NDP). This, the minister said, culminate in a new five-year strategic plan.

“This new strategic plan, together with the updated APP, will be greatly aligned with the Medium Term Strategic Framework, and is expected to set out in detail how we will respond to the injunctions of the NDP, as outlined by the President in his State of the Nation Address… [We will] also set clear targets and the systems and processes to monitor the implementation of these during the same period,” Minister Joemat-Pettersson said on Tuesday.

She was speaking during the Portfolio Committee on Energy meeting in Cape Town.

The minister said she was determined to bring consistency and certainty with regard to the policy and legislative environment.

The plans, Minister Joemat-Pettersson said, include finalising the Integrated Energy Master Plan, together with its component parts, namely the Integrated Resource Plan and the Gas Utilisation Master Plan. 

Natural gas from the SADC region and South Africa’s shale gas resources will also feature centrally in this plan. Minister Joemat-Pettersson said she intends to work closely with the Department of Mineral Resources to resolve the issues that will facilitate investment in the gas sector. MORE