Government has released the first Request for Proposals (RFP) under the Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme (iREREP/Programme).
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) together with the Ministry of Electricity, supported by National Treasury’s Government Technical Advisory Centre’s (GTAC) released this on Tuesday.
“The release of this PHASE 1 RFP comes at an opportune moment, with government remaining steadfast in eradicating the electricity and water supply challenges, and the rampant landfill shortages our country continues to face. This programme will introduce up to 3 740MW of equivalent capacity through renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives, while saving 47 million kilolitres of water and reducing waste to landfill by 1 million tons.
“By alleviating at least 3 740MW from the national grid through the programme’s energy efficiency and renewable energy interventions, the government building portfolio could potentially add the same capacity as 2 Koeberg power plants and reduce load shedding by 3 – 4 stages,” Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala said at a media briefing in Pretoria.
The iREREP will be the largest programme for the procurement of renewable energy and resource efficiency for public facilities on the African continent. This project was gazetted as a Strategic Integrated Project (SIP28) in July 2020 as part of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, which was approved by Cabinet.
The programme has the potential to achieve significant savings in government expenditure and contribute towards socio-economic transformation over its 30-year term.
Projected savings and socio-economic benefits from the programme include:
- Up to R1.3 trillion direct contribution to the GDP;
- The creation of over 13 100 new small businesses, majority of which would be black-owned enterprises;
- An estimated 503 000 jobs created;
- Skills development opportunities for more than 475 000 people;
- A reduction in energy use intensity of between 22% and 45% in the public sector;
- A water use intensity reduction of between 30% and 55% in the public sector;
- A reduction in waste and diversion of 50% of current waste from landfill sites, saving 12 million tons; and
- A reduction in CO2 and other Green House Gas emission by over 54.5 megatons.
Harbours and ports of entry
The Minister has assured the nation that government is attending to the issue of the state of the country’s ports of entry and the level of infrastructure rendering the borders to being porous.
The following cross border intervention projects are being implemented:
- The construction of Emanguzi Police Station is expected to be completed in June 2023.
- The construction of the concrete border fence known as the jersey barriers has commenced in uMkhanyakude and this will thwart the criminal syndicates that steal cars and transport them across the borders.
- Government is currently busy with a comprehensive border analysis, auditing a number of areas including risk and security, fencing solutions, route determinations etc.
The Minister said government will respond to all the hotspot areas.
The six Points of Entry (POEs) that are being prioritised to improve border management and securing include: Beitbridge (Zimbabwe border); Ficksburg Bridge (Lesotho border); Kopfontein (Lesotho border); Lebombo (Mozambique border); Maseru Bridge (Lesotho border); and Oshoek (Eswatini border). – SAnews.gov.za
