Question NW2899 to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
09 December 2020 - NW2899
Madokwe, Ms P to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
(a) What are the reasons that his department has not ensured that when municipalities, especially in poor and rural municipalities, enter into contracts with independent power producers, one of the requirements is to provide free electricity for the indigent, (b) how will his department ensure that service providers provide free electricity for the indigent and (c) by what date will this be remedied?
Reply:
a) It is government policy to provide free basic electricity to the indigent through licensed electricity distributors (Eskom and Municipalities). The free basic electricity provision is independent of the source of generation of the electricity (Eskom or IPPs).
b) See response to (a.) above.
c) See response to (a.) above.