Major electricity funding for Nelson Mandela Bay

Nelson Mandela Bay is to receive R150-million from the national Department of Energy to eradicate illegal electricity connections, as soon as a formal business plan is submitted. Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said yesterday that she had already approved the money. She was responding to a parliamentary question by DA MP Gordon Mackay. Joemat-Pettersson said she had approved funding over three years as a pilot programme.

“The allocation, like all electrification allocations, is only made available to the implementing agent [municipality or Eskom] upon approving of a formal business plan regarding the technical and financial details of a project,” JoematPettersson said. Nelson Mandela Bay electricity and energy acting executive director Peter Neilson said the city hoped to sign a contract next week. “The minister said she would wait for the adjustment of her budget and transfer the money for this year,” he said. Bridging funds would be used in the meantime. – Additional reporting by Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko