Free State: In his 2023/24 Budget Vote, Premier said: “We have set in motion processes with entities that include the Central Energy Fund and PetroSA to explore how the Free State can be used as the country’s energy generation, logistics and beneficiation hub.
Premier also said, “We will also host an Energy Security Indaba to explore how we can contribute to the country’s energy security affordability and, stimulate economic growth and create desired jobs.”
As a result, the Free State Provincial Government, under the leadership of Premier Mxolisi Dukwana, will on Thursday, 02 November 2023, convene the Provincial Energy Security Indaba under the theme “Powering the Future.”
The Energy Indaba will bring together various stakeholders in and outside the energy space, including the private sector, government leaders, traditional authorities and civil society.
Amongst those expected to deliver messages of Cooperation and Support include the Premiers of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and the North West. Ministers, Deputy Ministers and members of the two spheres of Free State Provincial will also be in attendance.
The convergence and collective effort of these important role players will strengthen private-public partnerships, strengthen intergovernmental relations and foster cooperative governance.
The Free State Energy Indaba seeks to position the Free State Province as an important role player in the energy sector i.e. establish the Free State as a central energy hub and distributor for the country. The Indaba will look into pertinent matters such as electricity generation, electricity infrastructure improvements, electricity supply and debt management, billing system, removal of illegal connections, vandalism and cable theft.
The Indaba will look into pertinent matters such as electricity generation, electricity infrastructure improvements, electricity supply and debt management, billing system, removal of illegal connections, vandalism and cable theft and also aimed at exploring divergent avenues and sources of energy, business and investment opportunities available in the Energy Sector, and also consider how opportunities can be leveraged to create employment opportunities, diversify and grow the econom