‘We are in heaven and suffering’: Gayton McKenzie on unemployment

Patriotic Alliance leader and Great Karoo mayor Gayton McKenzie says SA is “heaven”, but citizens are suffering due to the high unemployment rate. 

McKenzie said the country has the highest unemployment rate in the world, but has natural resources to curb unemployment at its disposal. 

“What are we waiting for? We can solve our energy crisis with our abundance of natural resources,” he said. 

“We have platinum, manganese, gas, gold, uranium, copper, titanium, timber, coal, chrome, diamonds, arable land, iron ore, natural stones, sun and wind. But we have the highest unemployment rate in the world.

“Something is terribly wrong with all of us for allowing this. We are in heaven and suffering.”

The unemployment rate was the highest on a global list of 82 countries monitored by Bloomberg in August last year.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, the mayor reiterated his plans to turn the Karoo into another Dubai. He said the municipality will “become the biggest energy hub in SA” and generate 500 jobs in different sectors.

“I am going to turn this into Dubai. We are going to mine uranium. We are going to extract the gas. We are going to produce energy in the Central Karoo and we are going to sell to every municipality in SA. We are going to become the biggest energy hub in SA,”

Last week McKenzie offered his services to Eskom, saying he can help solve the electricity crisis. In a plea to the power utility, he shared his ideas on how Eskom could solve the crisis and put an end to load-shedding. 

“Let’s help you, Eskom,” he said. “Eskom apparently needs 1,000MW to keep the lights on. Let’s create 11,000MW within the next five months, which will keep the lights on in 2023 and is 11 times more than what you need.”

McKenzie claimed the Central Karoo was the most suitable place to create renewable energy.

“We have sun during the day, wind at night, vast tracts of land and evacuation capacity. You cannot find a better place anywhere in SA.”

He said all red tape need to be relaxed or cut out, the government must declare a state of energy emergency and ban unions.

To achieve a turnaround in the electricity crisis, McKenzie suggested the government should invite 110 solar companies to immediately construct a 100MW plant.

“You will have thousands of up-takers. Let them start immediately. You can use state money and start a state renewable company, but I wouldn’t advise that. Let the private sector do it.”  

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