President Cyril Ramaphosa will interact with the Northern Cape residents during the Presidential Imbizo at the Mxolisi Dicky Jacobs stadium in Upington later on Friday morning.
He will be accompanied by several ministers, Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul, MECs and district mayors.
The fifth Presidential Imbizo takes place under the theme: ‘Leave No One Behind.’
The ongoing energy crisis, lack of housing and the indignity of bucket toilets are set to dominate the president’s engagement with the residents of Upington and surrounding communities.
Some residents have vowed to take their plight to the country’s number one.
The president’s interaction will also showcase successful projects and allow government leaders to share information with residents.
Solar thermal power project
The Redstone Concentrated solar thermal power project in the Northern Cape, which will relieve the energy burden on Eskom, is expected to be completed in 2024.
President @CyrilRamaphosa will visit the Redstone Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Tower today. The CSP project plays a vital role in South Africa’s shift to #JustTransition: a move towards a future of renewable energy 🇿🇦#LeaveNoOneBehind pic.twitter.com/flqXEZQI6H
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) October 20, 2022
Ramaphosa visited the plant on Thursday.
The solar thermal power project is the first of its kind to be developed in Africa. The plant will see about 160 000 mirrors generate electricity.
Once completed, it will produce about 480 000 megawatts of clean energy per year and service 210 000 households.
The Redstone CSP Plant project has to date created 972 jobs, with 1500 jobs expected at project peak. About 100 permanent jobs will be created during operations and maintenance phase. #JustTransition #LeaveNoOneBehind 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/FrJlyiFQyl
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) October 20, 2022
Ramaphosa engages the media following visit to Redstone Concentrated Solar Power Thermal Plant:
Workers stage protest
Meanwhile, employees at the plant staged a protest outside during Ramaphosa’s visit. They allege they are being underpaid.
Red Solar employee Kagisho Lekwene says, Redstone, they are underpaying us. Presently, the rate is R44 (per hour) but here we are getting R30 in labour. We thought as workers when we sit down because we tried to talk to them several times but they never came to us and negotiate this thing.”
After his walkabout, President Ramaphosa addressed the aggrieved workers, saying the R12-billion project is being financed through debt.
Employees at the Redstone Concentrated Thermal plant in Postmasburg, Northern Cape have downed tools ahead of @PresidencyZA Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit today. They demand a salary increase, saying they wrote to the President’s office previously. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/G7OZGvNn3V
— Reginald (@ReggieReporter) October 20, 2022
-Additional reporting by Reginald Witbooi
