DEDAT: R55.5 million to provide energy support to SMMEs; R60 million for green hydrogen development at Freeport Saldanha
5 April 2023
A parliamentary reply received from Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, has revealed how the R1.1 billion allocated by the Western Cape Government to mitigate the effects of loadshedding over the 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) will be spent.
The Provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism has been allocated R55.5 million to support SMMEs with alternative energy solutions, ensuring our small businesses have the tools they need to survive relentless rolling blackouts.
In addition, R60 million has been allocated, through Wesgro and Freeport Saldanha, to aid in the development of a green hydrogen hub in Saldanha that could hold massive economic benefits for the province.
The remaining funds will be spread throughout different Provincial Government Departments as part of the Western Cape Energy Resilience Plan, supporting interventions to both mitigate the current effects of loadshedding, while putting plans and interventions in place to reduce the Western Cape’s reliance on Eskom.