UNGQONGQOSHE kagesi uMnuz Kgosientsho Ramokgopa uthe ugesi uzonqamuka ngokwesigaba sesithupha nangaphezulu kuze kudlule ubusika.
URamokgopa uthe kungcono ukunqamula ugesi kunokuthi izwe libe mnyama bhuqe.
“Ugesi siwunqamula ngenxa yokufa kwemishini yethu. Isigaba sesithupha sokunqamula ugesi sizoqhubeka kuze kudlule ubusika. Kungenzeka ukuthi siwunqamule ngokwezinye izigaba ezingaphezulu ngoba lokhu sisuke sikwenzela ukuvikela ukuphehlwa kukagesi nokuthi izwe lingabi mnyama bhuqe,” kusho uRamokgopa.
Uveze ukuthi bazosebenzisa uR8 billion ukuthenga udizili wokusebenzisa ama-gas turbine. Wathi kuR254 billion obekelwe ukukhokha isikweletu se-Eskom, uR22 billion uzosebenza ukuthenga udizili.
Izolo uMengameli Cyril Ramaphosa uthembise abantu ukuthi uRamokgopa uzoyilungisa inkinga kagesi ngoba uwunjiniyela futhi iyona enkenteza ekhanda lakhe ngisho eya ethoyilethi ucabanga izisombululo.
UNkk Samantha Graham-Mare we-DA uthe izwe lisengcupheni yokuba mnyama bhuqe ngenxa yokuthi uRamokgopa akanawo amandla aphelele okuletha izinguquko ekuphehlweni kukagesi kwazise okunye kudinga uNgqongqoshe wezaMandla nokuMbiwayo uMnuz Gwede Mantashe.
URamokgopa ukuphikile lokhu wathi unawo wonke amandla okuletha izinguquko.
UNkk Graham-Mare ucele uhulumeni ukuba asheshise ukuxazulula izinkinga zikagesi ngoba njengamanje ama-open-cycle gas turbines asebenza ngokudlulele futhi nodizili osetshenziswayo udla imali eningi.
Ukhale ngokuthi uma ama-open-cycle gas turbines esebenza ngokweqile nawo azofa bese kuba mnyama bhuqe ezweni.
Isikhulu esiphezulu se-AgriSA uMnuz Christo van der Rheede, sithe ukukhiqizwa kokudla eNingizimu Afrika kusengcupheni ngenxa yokunqamuka kukagesi.
“Ukunqamuka kukagesi akuphazamisi kuphela ukuchelelwa kokudla kodwa kuphazamisa izinhlelo zokuhlatshwa kwezilwane, ukupakishwa kwenyama nokudla, ukugcinwa kwako emafrijini abandayo. Sibhekene nenkinga ngokukhiqizwa kokudla,” kusho uvan der Rheede.
Uthe bayazamukela izinhlelo zikahulumeni zokuxhasa abalimi uma bethenga udizili nokuthi beze nezinhlelo ezintsha zokukhiqiza ugesi wathi kodwa lokhu akusizi uma ugesi unqamuka ngokwesigaba sesithupha.
Uveze ukuthi abalimi sebesebenzise uR10 billion ukuthenga udizili kulo nyaka kanti ugesi bawukhokhela R7 billion.
Lokhu uthe kubeka engcupheni imisebenzi ewu-850 000 ngoba abalimi bathwele kanzima ngenxa yezindleko.
Isazi somnotho seDon Consultancy Group, uMnuz Chifi Mhango sicele uhulumeni ukuba asheshise namasu okuxazulula inkinga kagesi futhi asebenzisane nosomabhizinisi ukuze kutholakale izisombululo.
Ubalule ukuthi umkhakha we-manufacturing ushayeke kakhulu ngenxa yokunqamuka kukagesi kanjalo nowezezimayini neminye.
UNobhala Jikelele we-South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), uMnuz Zwelinzima Vavi uthe uhulumeni uthatha isikhathi sakhe ukusombulula inkinga kagesi ngoba ongqongqoshe abathikamezeki uma unqamuka kodwa ngabantu abampofu abahluphekayo.
“Kuyishwa ukuthi sinenkinga yokunqanyulwa kukagesi ngokwesigaba sesithupha esingazi ukuthi izophela nini. Sinongqongqoshe ongabazweli abampofu ofuna ukuya enkantolo uma kuthiwa akangawunqamuli ugesi ezikhungweni ezithile. Asibuboni ubunzima bokwenza lokhu kodwa sibona umuntu ongenamahloni ofuna ukuchitha imali yabakhokhi bentela enkantolo engabe uyisebenzisela ukuxazulula izinkinga zikagesi,” kusho uVavi.