Emergency procurement 'will not be abused': Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

The emergency procurement processes during the national state of disaster on the energy crisis “will not be abused”, co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said on Friday.

“That’s why the auditor-general will do real-time auditing — but also, we said that the accounting officers who will use the emergency procurement according to these regulations will have to appear in parliament every month so that we don’t have anyone abusing the regulations,” said Dlamini-Zuma.  

The minister was briefing the media in Pretoria on the regulations after the gazetting of the national state of disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa last month. 

Dlamini-Zuma, who was criticised for her handling of the Covid-19 pandemic regulations, said the latest regulations aim to minimise the impact of load-shedding on the economy, health, agriculture, security, education, water services and lifesaving infrastructure, among others. 

“Every month the accounting officer goes to parliament to explain what they have procured and for what. That is how we are trying to stop what happened earlier. Going to parliament every month is going to be helpful because people will know that they will have to account to the nation.”

She said it was the responsibility of all spheres of government to save electricity — such as by switching off the lights after working hours.  

“The regulations are also to ensure that we can save lives because if there is load-shedding, for instance in an anti-natal unit and there are babies in incubators, you can imagine what can happen.” 

The regulations are in place to ensure that health infrastructure such as intensive care units (ICUs) are exempted.  

“We have seen poultry farmers culling chickens because of load-shedding and the regulations are there to try to protect those, like farmers who were spilling thousands of litres of milk because they could not keep it fresh. 

“Small businesses have also had to close. Can you imagine if you are a dressmaker or a tailor and someone is getting married and you have a deadline? Then there is load-shedding and you cannot finish their attire. You are in trouble.” 

The national state of disaster, which expires in three months, will be renewed monthly. 

Applications will be streamlined: Creecy

Forestry, fisheries and environment minister Barbara Creecy said the regulations make provision for her to issue directions in relation to the streamlining of applications and decision-making processes for:

• environmental authorisations;
• waste management;
• atmospheric emission licences; as well as
• condonation and exemptions associated with energy infrastructure, generation, transmission and distribution for the duration of the state of disaster. 

“This includes excluding upgrades, refurbishments, adjustments and repairs of existing energy infrastructure and existing generation infrastructure, generation transmission and distribution facilities from the provisions of the state of disaster.”  

She said the department was looking at developing directions that would speed up the process of environmental authorisations.  

“There will be shorter periods between submissions of an application and submissions of reports for decision-making, and we are examining a shortened period for public participation — for example 14 days as opposed to the existing 30 days.” 

Solar rooftop installations will not require environmental authorisation, Creecy said.  

The department was still developing regulations that will allow solar PV and battery storage facilities to go through an expedited registration process for bigger solar projects. 

Regulations could avert blackout: Gungubele

The minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele said the cabinet had briefed the media on behalf of the national energy crisis committee (NECOM). 

“The national state of disaster empowers the government to implement necessary measures to prevent the escalation of load-shedding and avert a possible national blackout.”

He said the regulations empower the national executive to work in close co-operation with the three spheres of government to make sure the right things happen.

He said the minister of electricity would be announced soon. 

Solar power for food security: Didiza

Agriculture, land reform and rural development minister Thoko Didiza said the department had been engaging farming organisations and agribusinesses to assess the impact of the energy crisis on their production and food security in SA. 

Didiza said some of the interventions explored included going off-grid where some in the agricultural sector can use solar.  

The second has been to look at where the load-shedding schedules can be bypassed in agreement with producers.  

“We have also looked at how own production of alternate energy can be supported.”  

She said the department was looking at how it could enhance some products that have been announced by minister of finance, such as tax incentives.  

“We are looking at finance to assist up front so that those who would like to move on to other energy sources can do so.”

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