Thousands of jobs are on the line due to continued rolling blackouts and investor uncertainty

25 July 2022

Thousands of jobs are currently at risk in Gauteng due to the continued implementation of rolling blackouts by State Owned Entity (SOE) Eskom. This is having a negative impact on the economy and possible investment opportunities by the private sector, particularly from international investors.

The Gauteng Infrastructure Agency (GIFA) which is tasked with seeking investment opportunities from the private sector will have an even more difficult time doing so because of the unstable electricity grid.

Projects like the Sedibeng Fresh Produce Market has the potential of creating at least 4000 jobs, while the Merafong Bio-Energy Project has the potential of creating at least 8000 jobs with the help of private investors.

Given the current unemployment rate in the province which currently stands at 36.7%, the unstable power grid will only add to the number of people who find themselves unemployed because businesses are unable to trade for between six and eight hours a day.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will continue to demand that the Gauteng Provincial Government, under the leadership of Premier David Makhura, assists municipalities to procure additional electricity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

This is the only way in which the wheels of the economy can continue to turn with minimal interruption. Should this trend of rolling blackouts continue, it means that our economy will not be able to grow, and employment opportunities will become non-existent causing our unemployment rate in the province to soar.

Issued by Adriana Randall, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Finance and e-Government, 25 July 2022