Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says there are no conditions attached to China’s donations to South Africa.
The Chinese government donated R170m in emergency power equipment and made available a grant of about R500m as development assistance to alleviate South Africa’s energy crisis.
On Wednesday Ramokgopa signed a joint memorandum of co-operation with Chinese entities on behalf of government.
“The donation is exactly that,” he said at the Brics Summit in Sandton.
“Donations are not attached to any conditions. We are getting gasoline and diesel generators, power supply vehicles and off-grid PV energy storage supply systems ranging from 6KW to 200KW.”
Ramokgopa said the donation will assist with providing sustainable electricity to some major public installations such as clinics, hospitals and police stations.
“We are going to get 552 of those units and 450 are already on the way. It means more than 500 public facilities are going to have access to uninterrupted alternative power supply. Thank you to the Chinese for the generous contribution. The equipment ranges from 6kw up to 200kw, which can support a clinic and a medium-sized hospital, so this is relief for South African people,” he said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa appreciated China’s support in addressing the energy challenges.
He said Chinese companies, encouraged by their government, responded with enthusiasm to his investment drive, which has raised more than R1.5-trillion in commitments in the past five years.
Source: TimesLIVE
