Chairperson, the government has made the promotion of a green economy one of the central pillars of its new economic growth path. One of the sectors that is often said to hold out the greatest growth and job-creation potential is that of solar water heating.
The ID therefore finds it tragically ironic that at a time when solar water heater companies should be preparing for a massive upscaling in production, the opposite is proving to be the case. Solardome, the oldest solar water heater manufacturing company in South Africa, will, shockingly, be closing its doors at the end of this month after 42 years of being in business.
I have been reliably informed that two other solar water heater companies are also being forced out of business. This is a sad indictment of the government's industrial policy and the failure to ensure joined-up government in this sector.
The ID calls on the Ministers of Trade and Industry and of Economic Development to urgently intervene to provide both short- and long-term solutions to this crisis. Possible solutions include forcing the SABS to grant a six-month extension on their mark of approval for locally produced systems. A 50% differentiation on the rebate for locally manufactured systems can also be introduced.
But, in the long term, certainty needs to be brought to the market and a sustained, massively increased demand for high-pressure systems needs to be assured. I thank you.