The provincial government recently initiated a pre-feasibility study regarding the creation of Liquid Natural Gas {LNG} infrastructure within the Saldanha, Cape Town corridor. This report was shared with Councillors at the April 2013 Energy and Climate Change Portfolio Committee.
Since the Western Cape is a net importer of 2000 megawatts at peak hours, significant transmission losses occur over the distance covered. That the electricity supply is largely coal based, also implies a large carbon footprint. The significant gas discoveries off the coast of Mozambique and Tanzania etc. suggest a cheaper option for electricity users battling with tariff increases.
Wage and labour issues at the Medupi power station also affect the need for relief from increases in electricity. Medupi has already missed two deadlines and is expected to contribute only 4800 megawatts of power to the national grid by 2016.
Beyond the polemics of the current energy debate and for regional and economic stability, I believe that South African foreign policy will have to assume some degree of militarisation. Since Africa continues to echo conflict and revolution the ideals of flourishing constitutional democracies seem distant. That South Africa will probably import the LNG from Mozambique or Angola etc. suggests that we establish regional stability to secure the colossal financial investments. This implies that, like the French and Italians in North Africa and the United States in the Middle East mere contracts and treaties maybe insufficient. That Renamo has risen again in Mozambique after years of hibernation, cannot be good news. To ensure and protect the reliable supply of LNG in the future, South Africa will have to deploy troops into that region.
This implies that South African exploits into Africa, like the one into Central African Republic have really just begun.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress