Our Deputy President, Deputy Speaker, hon Members of Parliament. Let me start by questioning facts Fact number one is that currently coal is the lifeblood of the South African economy. It is the predominant fuel source for electricity accounting for about 90% of South Africa's primary energy needs. Without coal-derived electricity, industries such as manufacturing, financial services, and social services would be severely crippled, resulting in massive job losses. We therefore need coal
as things stand right now, while we diversify our energy mix into the future.
In addition to the extensive use of coal in the domestic economy, about 28% of South Africa's production is exported, mainly through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal, RBCT, making South Africa the fourth largest coal exporting country in the world. In 2018, total coal sales were R146 billion, up from R130 billion in 2017.
Fact number two is that coal mining is the third largest employer in the mining sector. The coal industry employed 86 647 people in 2018 up from 82 248 in 2017, representing about 19% of total employment in the mining sector. However, despite these hard facts, we do acknowledge that the calls to decrease the world's dependence on coal as an energy source are well intentioned. Lower use would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and less demand would lower the environmental risk of coal mining. As such, as the world moves away from coal, South Africa will need to consider the implications. For example, full dependence on renewable energy can only be done if we move to lifestyles and
systems that require only a small fraction of the present rich world per capita energy consumption. If all South Africans, including the majority of who are in the rural areas, were to be brought to the required living standards, the renewable energy would not be able to cater for all of us. This is fact number three.
So we need to strike a balance between all these factors. That is why we bought into, and supported the idea of Just Transition, which is the idea that justice and equity must form an integral part of the transition towards a low carbon world. At its core is the view that it is possible and necessary to promote, through the mobilisation and collaboration of workers and communities, public policies that simultaneously address environmental challenges and secure decent jobs and livelihoods for affected workers.
It is thus no brainer that the trade union movement throughout the world is in support of and advocates for this Just Transition. As the country, South Africa is in support of this. This is evident from the consultative forums, including National Economic Development and
Labour Council, Nedlac that our government has with unions when dealing with issues that affect workers such as Just Transition. I also want to applaud our own Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour for adopting a consultative programme of action which makes labour unions important stakeholders thereof in this sixth Parliament.
We also support the view of the National Union of Mineworkers, NUM, that government should support Eskom with funding, as one of its entities to achieve its developmental goals. That is why we support this Special Appropriation Bill. However, we want to make a clarion call to all who owe Eskom, especially the organs of state, to please do their patriotic duty and pay their Eskom debts. The Government bailouts are not, and will never be, sustainable. If the residents of Polokwane Local Municipality, where I come from, the majority of whom are poor, could pay their electricity bills, what stops the rest of us to do the same?
Sepedi:
E reng ke bolele nnete. Meyara wa rena wa Polokwane o lemogile gore Maafrika ba ipshina kudu ge ba ?omi?a didiri?wa t?a bona ba sa di kolote. Ba na le dillamathekeng, gomme ba di rekela dinakomoyeng. Ba a tseba gore dillamathekeng di ?omi?a mohlagase. Ba na le diDSTV. Ba a tseba gore diDSTV di ?omi?a mohlagase. Eskom ke hlatse ya gore ba lefela mohlagase wa bona.
Batho ba Afrika-Borwa ka moka, a re se phaleng ke batho ba Polokwane. A re ba eki?eng re patele mohlagase.
English:
Hon members would have witnessed the announcement of the Integrated Resource Plan, IRP, by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy last week. This is important to know because it means that the IRP is by no means the long term solution to South Africa's energy crisis. As the government puts it, it is a plan that directs the expansion of the electricity supply over the given period and it augurs well with the Just Transition Principle.
Of significance about the IRP is that not only will it be in line with the commitments South Africa made, at the
climate change conference held in Paris in 2015, to reduce coal emissions, but it will also eliminate the element of risk when unwarranted issues surface at power stations. I am sure everybody will not want to experience load shedding anymore. I know that the prophets of doom are already shutting down this IRP, saying that it is not enough. But in my language we say: "T?ie e phala morogo". [Half a loaf is better than none.] We therefore, as the ANC support this Special Appropriation Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]