Government is open to “constructive engagement with legitimate leaders of the coal transport industry” and – in addition to its commitment to the overall Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme (REIPPP) – is expanding the programme to other sources of energy including coal and gas.
This was the message from Jeff Radebe, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, after hundreds of coal transport trucks brought traffic to a standstill yesterday, blocking Gauteng’s major highways as they made their way to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to deliver a memorandum to president Jacob Zuma.
The drivers, members of the Coal Transportation Forum, were protesting against power utility Eskom’s bid to use more renewable energy, concerned that it would cost them jobs.
Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko confirmed via Twitter yesterday (Wednesday) that the power utility would not be renewing contracts of coal transporters.
“We are burning over 3 million tons less coal due to energy surplus, negative energy growth and increasing renewable energy input,” Koko tweeted.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) released a statement yesterday in support of the march, saying: “South Africa’s electricity generation is based on coal and plays an important role in ensuring that factories continue to retain and create more jobs. Therefore any policy, including introduction of renewable energy, should ensure that we retain the current number of jobs and create new ones.”
