Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said over a period of time his ministry will ensure that solar panels are produced in the country- as more people install the panels in their homes.
Ramokgopa was addressing the media earlier on Friday regarding the implementation of the energy action plan.
He said people have taken advantage of the solar panel tax incentive that was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Gonongwana.
Ramokgopa said there is a lack of manufacturing capacity in the country, which has to be corrected.
This follows Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s announcement on Thursday that the province will be embarking on a programme to train 6000 people as solar panel installers.
Ramokgopa said this will also help with the unemployment rate in the country.
“We will broaden our industrial footprint so that we benefit from these incentives and not rely on imports and in the course of doing that we will be able to address the challenge of unemployment.”
-EWN
In other news – Zoleka Mandela prepares for her funeral
South African author and activist Zoleka Mandela is celebrating finally finishing radiation treatment therapy for her brain.
The mum of six who has terminal cancer has been sharing updates about her journey as her cancer returned for the third time. Zoleka survived breast cancer twice and was diagnosed with stage three bones, lung and liver cancer. She was also recently diagnosed with brain cancer. Learn More
