The government of China has donated 450 gasoline generators to South Africa to alleviate the impact of load shedding in the country.
Chen Xiadong, Chinese ambassador to South Africa, presented the generators to Xgosientsho Ramokgopa, the country’s minister of electricity, on Thursday.
Xiadong said he was excited to make the donation.
Receiving the generators, Ramokgopa said they will be used as “backup to alleviate the impacts of load shedding in the delivery of services in clinics, schools and courts”.
The electricity minister said the first consignment is the “smallest capacity of generators” and that the large capacity of generators will be received in February 2024.
“The second consignment will arrive in a few weeks time and this will be consisting, amongst others, 150kw diesel generators, power vehicle generators and off-grid photovoltaic energy storage power supply systems,” he said.
Over the past few months, Eskom, South Africa’s state owned public electricity company, has been embarking on different stages of load shedding amid low electricity generation in the country.
Load shedding occurs when generated electricity is less than the demand. When this happens, electricity companies tend to rotate the supply of power to consumers.
The donation of the generators has elicited varied reactions from citizens.(The Cable)
