The new ANC leadership wants to introduce sweeping reforms to find permanent solutions to energy security and stimulate the ailing economy.
During the economic dialogue in Bloemfontein on Friday, ANC head of economic transformation Mmamoloko Kubayi said rolling power cuts and unreliable energy sources have severely affected the economy and caused untold harm to small businesses.
“The change in approach on how we do things will define the current leadership. We must find permanent solutions to energy security, because it has been a major disruption to small business and households,” she told the audience made up of various business formations and community-based organisations.
The dialogue is part of a series of engagements planned by the ruling party ahead of its January 8 statement celebrations planned for Sunday in Mangaung.
The dialogue brought together energy experts and academics in the energy security sector.
ANC national chairperson and Minister of Energy and Minerals Gwede Mantashe said the country cannot adopt a business-as-usual approach.
“Another question that we need to ask ourselves is whether renewable energy can alone resolve the energy crisis that we are facing,” Mantashe said.
“Reliable energy supply is the catalyst of the economic growth and recovery. We can’t go on like this. Something is not right, and the experts should tell us what is wrong.”
»Massive measures are being proposed to handle the economy and energy crises«