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The government will seek to capitalise on last week’s approval of key electricity market reforms by the cabinet when electricity & energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa leads a high-level delegation to Beijing from Monday to Thursday to court Chinese investment in transmission infrastructure and new generation projects. The mission comes as South Africa begins implementing the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025 and a transmission expansion programme that will require more than R2.2-trillion in investment. The delegation, which includes trade, industry & competition minister Parks Tau, deputy international relations minister Thandi Moraka, provincial premiers and development finance institutions, aims to match Chinese financing and industrial capacity with South Africa’s infrastructure pipeline. The visit follows the cabinet’s approval last week of several long-awaited electricity reforms, including a new electricity pricing policy, the South African wholesale electricity market code and measures to accelerate competition in the electricity sector. Together, the reforms are intended to underpin investment in transmission infrastructure and facilitate the gradual liberalisation of the electricity market.“This mission is a targeted intervention to secure the partnerships necessary to modernise our grid and expand our generation capacity in line with the IRP 2025 and the Transmission Development Plan (TDP). “By bringing together provincial leadership, financial institutions and industry experts, this mission will present a credible, execution-ready pipeline to Chinese counterparts for tangible outcomes,” the electricity ministry said. Attention will also turn to land reform on Tuesday when deputy president Paul Mashatile convenes the interministerial committee on land reform. The meeting comes as the Expropriation Act faces a legal challenge in the Western Cape High Court, where opponents argue that aspects of the legislation are unconstitutional. Political parties will intensify campaigning as the November municipal elections approach. WATCH | DA wants to run 60 municipalities — it’s betting on ANC defections to get thereThe DA is scheduled to launch its election manifesto on August 8, outlining its governance and service delivery priorities after the EFF unveiled its manifesto in July. The ANC will follow with its manifesto launch on August 15, setting the stage for a more competitive campaign as parties seek to consolidate support in key metros. In parliament, the impeachment committee for the section 89 inquiry will continue its preparatory work this week. A day-long meeting is provisionally scheduled for Wednesday.Last week the committee, chaired by Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana, voted to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court to challenge the Western Cape High Court’s interim interdict halting public hearings on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment inquiry.Business Day
