China ready to help SA reduce load shedding

Despite South Africa experiencing unprecedented challenges of power shortages, China is pleased to see government and business efforts yielding positive results, according to Chinese ambassador to SA Chen Xiadong.

Speaking at the inaugural China-South Africa New Energy Investment and Cooperation Conference in Sandton on Tuesday, also addressed by Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and SA ambassador to China Siyabonga Cwele, Chen said his country was ready to provide support to South Africa “within our capacity”.

This conference aims to strengthen cooperation in new energy between the two nations – assisting South Africa in coping with the current power crisis and seek ways to build a strong economy after recovering from Covid.

Chen said China “very much relates to the challenges here and we are ready to provide support to South Africa within our capacity”.

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He said China and South Africa had “a historical task of energy transition and sustainable economic development”.

“It is therefore, very timely for us to cooperate more in new energy investment.

“Electricity powers development and a green and low-carbon approach will be the future.”

“Through today’s conference, we want to implement the important common understandings of our two heads of state – to build a platform for information exchange and cooperation between enterprises and institutions in both countries.

“We want to mobilise more stakeholders to participate in South Africa’s new energy industry – providing assistance for alleviating the power crisis and injecting new momentum into the practical cooperation between China and South Africa,” said Chen.

Chen said Ramokgopa is expected to visit China in the next few days.

“I believe his visit will further promote our exchanges and cooperation in this field,” added Chen.

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Chen said China is South Africa’s largest trading partner, while South Africa has been China’s biggest trading partner in Africa for 13 years.

“During the first five months of this year, our bilateral trade reached over $24 billion – up over 18% year-on-year.

“Among that number, South Africa’s exports to China reached over $13 billion, which is up over 19% year-on-year.”

Ramokgopa recently met Chen to discuss areas of collaboration to end load shedding in the country.

Among the potential areas of cooperation between the two countries, included:

• Sourcing technical expertise;
• Demand-side management intervention, in relation to supply;
• Training young people to meet demands for Solar PV installations;
• Introducing micro-grids;
• Emergency power.

The engagement followed a meeting with Business Unity South Africa, which focused on areas of collaboration between the government and businesses to resolve the energy crisis.

Addressing delegates to the conference from China via a video, Cwele said: “This initiative comes at an opportune time when the South African government is expediting the implementation of comprehensive measures to address the current electricity shortfall and looking for reliable partners from friendly countries.

“2023 marks the 25^th anniversary of friendly relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China, which has made a great leap to a strategic partnership.

“Our leaders describe our relations as being based on mutual trust – a relationship of comrades and friends, continuing to guide us to explore innovative ways for our mutual trust and benefit.”