Deputy Speaker, the ANC welcomes the launch of the R10 million Ikhwezi Solar manufacturing facility by the Minister of Energy, Dipuo Peters, in East London in the Eastern Cape on Friday, 28 October 2011. We believe the solar facility will assist government to meet its target of providing 1 million solar water heaters by 2014.
The opening of this facility, which was imported from Germany, created 23 jobs and has the potential to create a further 480 jobs for the installation of the hot-water systems and to train installers in the field of solar technology locally, through the manufacturing plant.
The Minister of Energy, Dipuo Peters, said government was looking into solar water heating as a means of supplying hot water to underserved communities, especially in the rural areas. The ANC believes this facility will go a long way in addressing power shortages in the province and is in line with the ANC's commitment to diversifying energy sources away from coal, including nuclear energy and renewables, especially solar power. This initiative should be fast-tracked to other provinces.