Executive Mayor Tania Campbell and MMC for Water, Sanitation and Energy Senzi Sibeko visited the Solar PV project in Zestfontein on September 22.

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The completion of this project will result in 90 megawatts (MW) being brought into the Ekurhuleni power grid.

Campbell said she would be writing to President Cyril Ramaphosa, highlighting the negative impact load shedding had on the city and its residents, also objecting to proposed tariff increases by Eskom.

“This past week, high levels of load-shedding have taken a tremendous toll on residents of the city, its infrastructure, and the economy.

“Earlier in the year, the city lost R2b due to stage 6 load shedding. To continue to rely solely on Eskom would be naïve,” said Campbell.

She said the Zestfontein project, along with other solar PV projects that are at various stages of completion in the city, will be enough to offset load shedding stage 1.

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“Earlier this month Eskom approached the National Energy Regulator of South Africa requesting a proposed 32% electricity tariff increase for next year.

“We oppose this increase as residents cannot afford this extortionate cost hike. We encourage residents to exercise their rights and submit their objections to NERSA,” said Campbell.