WeeklySA_AdminINJECTION: R150 million will be dispensed in partnership with the National Empowerment Fund to support energy initiatives operating in townships…
By Lehlohonolo Lehana
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has launched the Energy One-Stop Shop (EOSS), as well as the Energy Resilience Fund (ERF), as part of efforts to streamline the process of renewable energy project development and to enable more investment.
The EOSS is aimed at fast-tracking energy projects, in line with government’s broader effort over the last few years to increase the supply of energy available to the grid.
This is part of the Energy Mitigation Strategy through the National Energy Crisis Committee. President Cyril Ramaphosa had tasked Invest South Africa to establish an Energy One Stop Shop to deal with and fast track applications from energy developers.
The Energy One Stop Shop is expected to input to the streamlining of regulatory processes required for private investment in electricity generation, facilitate pre-investment screening for all energy projects and thereby fast-track the approval of energy applications.
The requirement for predictable energy availability has led the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) to formulate a series of interventions, including alternative energy generation solutions, storage and efficiency measures aimed at supporting businesses to become energy resilient.
Speaking during the launch, Patel said the Energy One Stop Shop was developed to address a key constraint that energy developers face, namely that the many regulatory and other measures that need to be complied with, can and do slow down approval of energy supply projects.
“The Energy One Stop Shop and Energy Resilience Fund are critical steps towards alleviating the challenges faced by our industries during this energy crisis. We are committed to fostering a resilient business environment and accelerating private-sector investment in electricity generation to secure a stable energy future,” Patel said.
Patel said government is committed to fostering a resilient business environment and accelerating private-sector investment in electricity generation to secure a stable energy future.
Energy Council of South Africa chief executive James Mckay said South Africa was re-shaping the regulatory landscape to facilitate the energy transition to distributed, decentralised and traded energy.
“There is significant reform still required and the One-Stop-Shop will play a significant role in developing this evolving landscape,” Mckay said.
Mckay said they need all technologies, collaborative partnerships and significant investment.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said it had availed R240 million to be administered by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) under the Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme’s Energy Resilience Fund to support companies through interest-free loans, while R150 million will be dispersed in partnership with the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) to support businesses operating in townships.
NEF strategic projects manager Andile Stemela confirmed that the initial R200-million injection into the fund will be reviewed regularly to determine whether more funding is needed.
He added that the NEF also offered its Alternative Energy Fund (AEF) as a financing solution for SMEs, which has the benefit of repayment only starting after 12 months. The NEF has 40 projects in various stages of development under the AEF.
Some of the projects have tenures up to 84 months, which Stemela says can be offered for more companies if need be. The NEF requires businesses to be tax-compliant and registered legal entities, before they can access between R200 000 and R5-million worth of funding for energy projects.
The AEF loans also come with the added benefit of a 2% interest rate, which NEF believes is more affordable for SMEs than most other financing options. More information to this effect can be found on the NEF’s website.
GQEBERHA TO SHOW OFF BUDDING FASHION DESIGN TALENT
ROYALTY: Ten local designers will be given opportunity to create sartorial wear…
By Gugu Sibiya
Once again, the Eastern Cape models will breathe life to the beautifully crafted creations to be showcased by local aspirant designers on the ramp in Gqeberha on August 12.
The event will take place under the auspices of the second annual “Royalty – We are African” Ebubeleni Fashion Week 2023, and hosted at Sun Boardwalk ICC. It is the latest addition to the province’s social calendar network, albeit with a purpose.
This extravaganza will, not only cast a spotlight on the Women’s Month celebration, but also serve as a build-up to the flagship Ebubeleni Festival 2023 in December and unleash the fashion talent abundant in the province.
As a Ebubeleni Festival Project, this initiative is an offshoot of a Non-Profit Company formed in 2019 to focus on developing the arts, culture and fashion in the Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape at large.
The designers were recruited through a call to submit their recent work, including their profiles and a synopsis of what inspired their designs. Ten selected local designers will be given an opportunity to create a new collection and showcase them on the fashion show runway.
These designers will be judged by a panel of industry experts for a cash prize. The first prize will be for the whole range, while the second for the show-stopper garment under the theme “Royalty – We are Africa”.
Ten of the lucky designers who will be exhibiting at this auspicious event include Quza Designs by Ayanda Quza, Azato Couture by Gladys Azato, Thee King’s Inc by Thandile Ndamase, Birth Mark by Asithandile Zixesha, Mismash Designs by Nomahlubi Mashiya, Kat Lebea Designs by Katleho Lebea, Handmade by Tazleigh Swartz, Thembani Selani, Christopher Tom and Alkebulan by Sihle Champion.
There’ll also be a showcase from five Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Fashion Design Students and two guest designers, House of Chilli by Namhla Fihla and Imprint South Africa by Mzukisi Mbane. A casting audition for models has already been put to bed since 24 multi-cultural young wannabes made the line-up.
In developing local designers, the Fashion Week programme will offer workshops for designers who didn’t make the cut, but will be guided and mentored by top local and national designers, national retail buyer and NMU Fashion Design lecturer.
The Ebubeleni Fashion Week is made possible by the Department of Sports, Arts & Culture, Sun Boardwalk, Mandela Bay Development Agency, Coega Development Corporation, Bluewater Bay Sunrise Hotel, Tramway Building and Ebubeleni Festival Project NPC.
The show starts at 6pm. Tickets include finger snacks, cost R500 at Webtickets, Pick ’n Pay and Boxer stores nationwide.
