SALGA plan to empower municipalities to mitigate load shedding; City of Cape Town load shedding mitigation plan

Meeting report

The Chairperson noted that the CoCT presentation had not been received and asked that it be made available during the course of the meeting. He called on SALGA to proceed with their presentation.

SALGA Presentation  
Councillor Elmarie Maxim, Chairperson of the Provincial Working Group on Energy and Electricity Provision, and Public Works, SALGA, thanked the Committee for the invitation to present SALGA’s plans to mitigate load shedding.

Dr Silas Mulaudzi, Sustainable Energy Specialist, SALGA, presented the plans to empower municipalities to mitigate load shedding. He stated that billions are lost daily due to load shedding. SALGA was concerned about the challenges regarding energy and electricity provision because it is the single biggest constraint to economic growth in the country. Loadshedding was incentivising paying households, and industrial customers to seek alternative energy options, such as low-scale embedded generation. As a result, the sales of electricity by municipalities are declining, causing local governments to suffer huge revenue losses. To mitigate the impact of load shedding, SALGA is offering a number of proposals which include:

Investments in the available municipal infrastructure;

Rollout of alternative energy solutions for municipal strategic infrastructure;

Investments to review the current electricity provision business models used by municipalities;

Repurpose unused conditional grants to energy solutions in municipalities;

Support municipalities to procure energy from other suppliers with the backing of government guarantees;

National consolidated effort to improve the security of critical energy infrastructure;

Develop a national framework for trading platforms of small-scale embedded generation and wheeling; and

Support for municipalities to generate power using water reservoirs, waste-to-energy, and wastewater treatment plants.

(See Presentation)

Discussion
Mr C Dugmore (ANC) said the presentation needed to be more specific. He sought clarity on the statements that ‘billions are lost every day during the long hours of load shedding’ and ‘the high uptake on embedded generation from middle-class families’. He asked how many households in the Western Cape had taken up solar energy to sell back to the grid. He requested SALGA to share the survey conducted on the replacement of infrastructure due to vandalism and theft.

Mr A van der Westhuizen (DA) did not doubt that billions are being lost due to load shedding. Municipalities would benefit from a growing economy. He emphasised two aspects from the information that was shared. Firstly, the unmeasurable losses due to staff being unable to work as a result of load shedding. He asked to what extent SALGA was ensuring constant electricity supply to satellite offices, schools, clinics, Deeds, and Home Affairs offices. He wanted to know if SALGA was assisting municipalities to determine tariff policies and encouraging municipalities to invest in electricity generation. Secondly, the reset of prepaid meters. He asked if municipalities are being assisted to install smart meters to manage electricity use during peak demand stages. He enquired about the debate on managing peak demand and if municipalities should not be taking over the management of peak demand to avoid high levels of load shedding.

Mr P Marais (FF+) expressed sentiments of despair and depression about the state of affairs. He said billions are lost every day because the country was in the hands of incompetent people. The presentation painted a picture of utter doom and gloom.

Mr Dugmore objected to Mr Marais’ use of language and said the use of expletives was not helping the debate.

Mr Marais withdrew the inappropriate use of words.

The Chairperson called on Members to keep the decorum of the meeting.

Mr Marais asked how many municipalities had applied for electricity efficiency demand side management (EEDSM) assistance, how successful it had been implemented, and if any municipality reported savings as a result of EEDSM. He wanted to know how many municipalities have qualified staff to implement the programme. In his opinion, the ANC government does not have any successes to report.

Mr I Sileku (DA) welcomed the information on the top five municipalities that have started resetting prepayment meters. He asked how many rural municipalities that have been struggling with debt collection are at risk of not resetting the prepayment meters by the deadline. He enquired about the discussions and resolutions to assist struggling municipalities. He wanted to know if any municipalities have been identified that use the energy crisis as a means to loot funds, e.g. by contracting security companies to guard the generators.

Ms A Cassiem (EFF) asked which municipalities were contributing to the majority of theft and vandalism damages in the province.

Dr Mulaudzi said a detailed report was needed on how the energy crisis was leading to losses. He cited the City of Tshwane as an example that was losing R250 million daily from different sectors including mining, agriculture, and retail. The study on infrastructure replacement was conducted by an academic institute. The report would be forwarded to the Committee. SALGA was developing a status report on the high uptake of embedded generation. The 2021 report is outdated and the 2022 report was being updated.

Mr Dugmore indicated that he was finding it difficult to hear all of the responses.

The Chairperson said he was aware that some people were struggling with poor internet connection. He advised that the script would be available for later reference.

Dr Mulaudzi said the data on the number of households taking up embedded generation is being collected. A response on the exact number would be submitted to the Committee. To date, more than 100 municipalities were applying the small-scale embedded tariff but many more municipalities needed to register. SALGA was supporting municipalities with the resetting of prepayment meters. Many municipalities were replacing old meters with smart meters which SALGA was encouraging because it would assist to manage the load and minimise consumption. Both local government and Eskom had embarked on the resetting of prepayment meters. The idea is for municipalities to gradually migrate to smart meters. Demand Side Management is the focus of the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM) workstream 5. To date, only 25 municipalities are being supported on Demand Side Management but this was a drop in the ocean and was not having the desired outcome. Many more municipalities need to be supported. The quarterly progress reports that municipalities present to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) would be made available to the Committee to view the success of the programme. The goal is to have all prepayment meters reset by November 2024. In the Western Cape, 23 of the 25 municipalities have started the reset programme. Data about the remaining two municipalities was not available. The status report on the number of reset prepayment meters would be available by the end of July 2023. The Western Cape Dashboard for tracking progress is accessible via the SALGA website. SALGA is supporting all municipalities through engagements with NECOM and the Minister of Electricity. The report on vandalism is compiled at the national level and does not show the data at the municipal level. SALGA is planning to drill down on the direct impact at the municipal level, in the second half of this financial year.
 
Mr Dugmore wanted to put it on record that the ANC regarded the electricity crisis as unacceptable. He understood why people were seeking alternatives but was mindful of the impact on revenue. He asked for SALGA’s view on the impact that solar has on the decreasing revenue of municipalities. He wanted to know SALGA’s view on the surcharge levied by the CoCT without NERSA’s approval.

The Chairperson advised Mr Dugmore to write down his questions in the Chat Function for the record because his connectivity problem was making it difficult to hear when he was speaking.

Mr Marais said it was SALGA’s duty to protect municipal interests and the interests of ratepayers and tenants when they attend NCOP meetings. He asked if ratepayers would be able to absorb losses as a result of Eskom’s failure to deliver electricity. Municipalities would have to increase tariffs that ratepayers will have to pay.

Mr F Christian (ACDP) asked if SALGA has a plan to ensure that all prepaid meters are reset by November 2024 and interim measures to ensure that some people are not left without electricity by the due date.

Mr van der Westhuizen commended the Drakenstein Municipality for resetting almost 80% of the prepaid meters in preparation for the November 2024 switchover. Most of the larger Western Cape municipalities were progressing well. Residents would be willing to invest in the augmentation of electricity generation if they were aware that the investment would lead to lower levels of load shedding to the benefit of all. He asked if SALGA would be able to negotiate lower levels of load shedding through the management of peak demand. He asked why Frankfurt in the Free State was not experiencing lower levels of load shedding despite partnering with a private company to manage demand during peak capacity levels.

Dr Mulaudzi replied that the uptake on embedded generation was unavoidable because it was obvious that consumers would seek alternative options. Municipalities needed to adjust to the transition because it would make it profitable for local governments to buy back energy from customers. Training is provided to municipalities to adjust to the new energy landscape. In response to the Eskom tariff increase, he said SALGA had rejected the increase because it was unreasonably high. The matter is the subject of an ongoing court case. In terms of the plan to assist municipalities with the reset of prepaid meters he replied that nationally some municipalities lacked the capacity but he was optimistic that all Western Cape municipalities would reset the meters by November 2024. The target is to have all municipalities completed by May 2024, leaving six months to attend to exceptional cases. Outstanding cases by October 2024 would be escalated and interventions and support from other stakeholders would be garnered to assist struggling municipalities. Eskom is involved in all sessions and workshops on the progress of resetting prepayment meters. He acknowledged that the Drakenstein Municipality has done well and confirmed that five municipalities at national level had achieved 100% target. These municipalities would be asked for a presentation on their achievements as a tool that other municipalities could use. He undertook to provide a written response on how consumers could reduce energy consumption.

Councillor Elmarie Maxim thanked Dr Mulaudzi for the presentation and providing clarity in response to the questions. She thanked Members for engaging on the difficult topic. The crisis was not going to be fixed overnight but the input would help to navigate the way forward. She trusted that as a province and country, we will overcome the energy challenges.

CoCT Presentation 
Councillor Beverley van Reenen: Mayoral Committee Member for Energy: CoCT, stated that the energy crisis was primarily due to a shortfall of energy capacity, breakdown of the ageing infrastructure of the power stations, and the lack of adequate investments into new energy projects. Maintenance failures and allegations of sabotage were contributing to the crisis. The slow pace to embrace renewable power resources that are less harmful to the environment has not done the country any favours. These challenges are the reason why the CoCT decided to lead the renewable energy agenda. The CoCT has a vision to become a climate-resilient, resource-efficient carbon-neutral city that enables inclusive economic development, and healthy thriving communities and ecosystems. This includes a target of becoming carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2050. The CoCT, therefore, aims to be a leader in renewable energy and alternative technology solutions through facilitation, promotion, demonstration, and connecting with businesses and citizens to find innovative solutions to address the energy challenges. The CoCT has a build programme with the plan to add up to 1GW of independent power supply to end load shedding in the city over time with the first 650MW to be produced within five years, enough to protect against four stages of Eskom load shedding by 2026. The plan includes embedded IPP renewable energy capacity of 200MW, dispatchable energy with capacity up to 500MW, wheeling up to 50MW, city-owned small-scale embedded generations (SSEGs) adding 20MW, and IPPs contributing 100MW. All this hard work in the mentioned projects is due to dedicated officials who display a high sense of civic duty, strong political will, and support, mainly from the Executive Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, and strong administrative support under the leadership of the Executive Director and his team. The CoCT is thankful for the support of and partnership with the Western Cape Government, Premier Allan Winde, and Finance Minister Wenger.

Mr Kadri Nassiep, Executive Director: Energy, CoCT, remarked that the CoCT has both a short-term and long-term objective. The latter involves an evaluation of the energy market after load shedding issues had been fixed. But this presentation would be focusing on the short-term objectives which aim to develop the capability to mitigate four stages of load shedding by 2026 in the CoCT supply areas. Optimisation of the Steenbras Pumped Storage Plant is the single biggest load shedding mitigation lever available in the short-term. The plant continues to deliver and allows to mitigate up to two stages of load shedding. In order to maximise the value of the plant, it needs to be refurbished within the next couple of years.

Additional short-term measures include:

Embedded Independent Power Producer (IPP) programme, targeting capacity of 200MW of mainly renewable energy, through the appointment of multiple IPPs;

Dispatchable IPP programme involving battery storage and gas-to-power technologies with a capacity of 480MW and a minimum capacity on a shorter term contract;

Demand Response programme or Power Heroes is based on incentivising residents to save energy voluntarily to protect CoCT supplied customers from loadshedding. The aim is to reduce demand by up to 60MW;

Atlantis Solar PV facility, connecting 7MW directly to the CoCT’s network;

Paardevlei Solar PV facility with the potential to deliver between 40 and 60MW Solar PV;

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), aiming to add dispatchability of CoCT energy supply;

Wheeling Research Project, i.e. a proposed total of 355MW to be wheeled; and

Small-scale Embedded Generation, aiming to develop a streamlined online application portal to simplify the registration process for customers.

(See Presentation)

Discussion
Ms Cassiem asked if independent suppliers would be selling directly to the CoCT and if rebates for the indigent would remain in place. She wanted to know what mechanisms are being considered to ensure the affordability of electricity.

Mr Christian asked why solar panel installers needed to register with the CoCT. He asked if the inverters were increasing the load on the grid or if it was contributing to the energy supply. He wanted to know how users who opted for a hybrid system could optimise the combination of energy supply.

Mr van der Westhuizen considered the sharing of information about solar panel installation as important to encourage more people to invest in this option. It might not be cost-effective at this stage but he has not heard any complaints from people who installed solar panels. He enquired about the turnaround time for the accreditation of installers. He asked for comparative costs between electricity and liquid gas. He enquired about the possibility of a gas pipe network being provided by the CoCT in the long-term for industries that are high-energy users.

Mr Marais commended the CoCT for being the leading metro in the country to find new ideas for solutions to the energy crisis. He asked if the CoCT was considering costly solutions or more simple answers to the problem, e.g. fitting geysers with timers. He wanted to know if the timing of geysers could be compelled through bylaws. Other simpler measures include fitting geysers with blankets, switching off lights and computers at night, and switching off pool pumps in affluent areas. He was aware that the DMRE was exploring shale gas in the Karoo. He asked if the CoCT, as a leading metro, would consider shale gas exploration. He did not want the Western Cape to go down with the rest of the country.

Mr Dugmore found the presentation comprehensive and encouraging. He asked if the CoCT was considering a partnership with the WCED and independent schools to install solar panels. The rooftops of many schools in the city would be ideal for solar panel installations. The Premier and MEC of Finance, when they announced the budget, made reference to providing emergency power packs to indigent residents of the city. He asked if the CoCT is involved in the project, how many emergency power packs would be provided, by when it would be made available, and what the qualifying criteria would be. Based on information in the public domain, NERSA did not approve the CoCT’s surcharge application but the CoCT has proceeded to charge electricity users with the surcharge. He sought confirmation about the accuracy of this information. He asked if the CoCT was considering reopening the Athlone Power Station, but then withdrew the question.

Mr Nassiep replied to Ms Cassiem that the type of project determines whether IPPs sell directly to the CoCT. Embedded generation requires the IPP to sell power directly to the CoCT, which is then sold through the normal network process. In certain cases, e.g. in terms of the Wheeling Framework, the IPP would have an agreement with the CoCT as well as the paying customer and sell directly to the customer. The CoCT would still transfer the power but the pricing is set by the customer and the third-party participant. The CoCT would add the municipal system charge which is approved by the regulator. In terms of the strategy to support indigent households, the CoCT is offering relief in the form of an indigent tariff or lifeline. The scope of the tariff had recently been expanded to allow for greater use of power at a lower tariff. This is in addition to the free basic electricity that indigent customers qualify for depending on their financial circumstances. Various interventions are being considered to make electricity affordable. Where city-owned generation is applicable, e.g. in the Atlantis and Paardevlei Solar PV facilities, there would on occasion not be tariff increases, which would ease the burden for consumers.

In terms of the SSEG registration process, Mr Nassiep explained that it is important for the systems to be registered in compliance with health and safety regulations. As a licensee, the CoCT is licensed by the regulator to distribute power and has to confirm with the Electricity Regulations Act. Consideration has to be given to the officials and contractors who work on the lines because they need to know where live systems are still connected to the network as part of safety procedures. He remarked that inverters and batteries were becoming a problem for the CoCT. When load shedding ends, the batteries are being charged at the same time as geysers and other equipment, which creates a spike in the system, resulting in secondary trips. There is a proposal to consider software to assist with managing load pickup by sending the relevant signals to allow the devices to be switched off. The discussion to introduce the system is continuing. It was important for households to determine their individual needs based on comparative prices for the utilisation of hybrid, solar, and battery systems. Between R200 000 to R300 000 was needed to get completely off the grid. But for protection during load shedding, R60 000 would be a reasonable figure. He said people are not necessarily expecting a return on investment but would sacrifice for the convenience of having power during load shedding. He responded to Mr van der Westhuizen about the turnaround time for solar installation by stating that the current turnaround time is distorted based on information in the public domain. 80% of the time is spent waiting on customers to provide information or for the installer to complete the installation. The perception exists that the delay is the fault of the CoCT but it can take up to five months to have the installation approved. The period could be reduced by using approved inverters. It becomes a challenge when people use non-standard equipment for pricing reasons. The CoCT was aware of concerns about the turnaround time but the cause of the delays must be appreciated. He responded to Mr Marais that the CoCT was not considering exotic options but was exploring exciting opportunities, e.g. hydrogen as a generation source in the coming years, floating solar installations, and wave power as an additional source of power generation. The CoCT does publicise in terms of the handbooks, information about energy efficiency, and how to use energy more wisely. In terms of shale gas, he said the market would open up in the future but at this stage, the CoCT was technology agnostic and would not be considering this option. The power that is generated in the Karoo and transported to Cape Town is beyond the remit of the environmental impact. Shale gas is not a preferred option because the priority is placed on low-carbon technology. He replied to Mr Dugmore that the province was considering alternative energy solutions at schools, predominately solar, but the CoCT was not directly involved. The CoCT would engage further with the province on this matter. The role of the CoCT in the distribution of loadshedding power packs extends to only providing the beneficiary lists of indigent residents. He believed that 400 000 power packs would be made available. He explained that the regulator does not pronounce on the nature of the surcharge because it is done at the discretion of the metropolitan council. The CoCT was engaged in mediation with NERSA on the surcharge because they have not approved the methodology of the tariff. He cited a disjuncture between NERSA processes and the CoCT in terms of the time for approval of tariffs. He said alternatives for the Athlone Power Station are being considered. He did not have comparative costs between gas and electricity usage but reiterated that it was not about return on investment but rather about the convenience to have continued supply during load shedding.

Mr van der Westhuizen appreciated the sharing of knowledge and found it heart-warming when capable people are employed in local government. He drew attention to Demand Side Management software and hardware that were introduced in some parts of the city almost 20 years ago to manage peak demand. But some parts of the system fell into disuse. He asked if the CoCT should not consider reinvigorating the system to manage demand when the power returns after load shedding.

Mr Dugmore said the Athlone comment was not a serious matter but suggested that it would be useful to consider using the facility in a more innovative manner. He had a serious concern about the credit control policy of the CoCT. For example, residents who are in arrears would get only ten rands worth of electricity when they buy prepaid electricity of R100. The rest of the money is automatically deducted to reduce arrears on other accounts. He asked if the Committee could be provided with a copy of the formal policy that allows deductions of this nature.

Mr Nassiep replied to Mr van der Westhuizen that the Ripple Control System was introduced in the late 90s and early 2000s and was piloted in Durbanville as a focus area. The system was ineffective and has not been maintained because people learnt how to bypass the model. The Power Heroes initiative is aimed at exploring the use of different technologies to reduce demand by up to 60MW. It is a National Government programme but the CoCT is committed to engaging Cabinet on the matter. He acknowledged that the credit control policy is unpopular but it was the best way to keep supply to defaulting customers. He requested that further questions be directed to the CFO as the policy is driven by the Finance Department. He explained that the clean way of burning coal instead of mining coal is to burn it underground. The process had been piloted and tested by Eskom in the Free State, including other alternatives such as clean coal technologies and liquid fuel.

Mr Marais questioned the justification of the policy to deduct areas from the purchase of electricity. He asked what is being done about the illegal connections and if there were any means to charge people who use electricity without paying. It did not seem fair to deduct the debt from paying customers while others use electricity freely.

Mr Nassiep agreed that illegal connections are an indictment on the system because it impacts negatively on paying customers. The CoCT is taking a tough stance on removing illegal connections with the cooperation of law enforcement but it is an ongoing battle. A task force was introduced to patrol areas with high levels of illegal connections but it affects the social dynamics of communities. Removing illegal connections results in community unrest which spillover to neighbouring compliant communities. Engagements with law enforcement and political leadership are ongoing.

Councillor van Reenen said several sessions were held to discuss illegal connections where the lives of paying customers came under threat. She agreed that the situation was unfair on paying customers. The illegal connections are reconnected soon after it was disconnected. It is a nightmare for officials who come under threat from communities who are stealing electricity. Some illegal connectors live in Eskom supply areas while the customers live in the CoCT supply areas. It is a complex matter therefore the support of all stakeholders is needed for the operation.

Ms Maseko (DA) said some municipalities depend on the revenue from selling electricity and might therefore be negatively impacted by illegal connections. She asked if the CoCT has quantified the costs of illegal connections.

Mr Nassiep replied to Ms Maseko that the costs to fix the damages to transistors and pipelines due to vandalism and theft run into more than R300 million per year. This places an unfair burden on law-abiding citizens. The CoCT has an electrification programme in place but people resort to illegal connections in some areas where electrification is not permitted.

Councillor van Reenen said it was difficult to quantify the revenue loss to municipalities. The costs related to vandalism, theft, and illegal connections amounted to R6.5 million for the first quarter. She had discussions with Eskom on the way forward and about illegal connections. She was hopeful that the battle would be won.

Mr Marais raised the problem of people who are able to bypass the system to get a false reading. Without penalties, they would continue to bypass the system. He asked if it was the position of the CoCT to not penalise people who abuse the system.

Councillor van Reenen said it is the duty of anyone to report abuse of the system to authorities. She encouraged Mr Marais to bring it to the attention of the CoCT is he is aware of anyone who is bypassing the system. The CoCT will not tolerate the bypassing of the system and has a dedicated department dealing with such matters.

Mr Nassiep confirmed that the City Manager had taken a decision to take a tougher stance on meter tampering. A contravention fee is payable in cases of confirmed tampering and arrears become payable in full. In addition, the City Manager insisted on prosecuting consumers found guilty of tampering with meters, including employees of the CoCT. This hard line is being implemented to curb the practice of tampering.

The Chairperson thanked the CoCT representatives for their input and the Members for engaging with the presentation.

Actions and resolutions
Mr Marais proposed that the Senior Procedural Officer presents the resolutions, especially regarding illegal connections and questions about how the public could help reduce demand, e.g. by fitting timers or blankets on geysers. The CoCT should be requested to formulate actions to mitigate illegal connections into bylaws. He felt it would not do justice to the context of the resolution if drafted within such a short space of time after the discussion.

The Chairperson replied that the request must be formulated in terms of a resolution. He requested Mr Marais to email his suggestion for the resolution in writing to the Senior Procedural Officer within a reasonable time.

Mr van der Westhuizen was mindful of being prescriptive to other spheres of government. He proposed that the Committee express its appreciation to the CoCT and SALGA for the information presented and for their considerable efforts. He found it problematic that it takes up to five months for embedded generators to be installed and integrated onto the grid. He proposed that the Committee note its concern about the backlog that had developed due to the increasing number of applications because it would have an adverse effect on embedded generation in the CoCT.

Mr Dugmore was uncomfortable about adopting resolutions other than appreciating the presentations. He proposed that the Committee welcome the presentation and note further information requested. He found it problematic to take ad hoc resolutions because it was not doing justice to all the matters discussed. He understood that the Committee would be compiling a report with proposed recommendations at a later stage.

The Chairperson suggested that the matter be discussed at the next session. The DMRE briefing is still to be received.

Ms Maseko agreed with Mr Dugmore and suggested that the matter should be treated similarly to the Covid-19 situation since it is an ad hoc committee and not a normal committee. A final report would assist in dealing with the energy crisis. Ad hoc resolutions might be restrictive to the work of the Committee.

The Chairperson said the Committee had agreed to invite specific entities. A report will be compiled once all the invited government departments and municipalities have briefed the Committee. He reported back on three outstanding matters. He was awaiting a response from the Minister of Electricity to the second letter for a revised date to brief the Committee and will be sending another request. A revised date would be communicated for the intended oversight visit to the Ankerlig Power Station. The DMRE did not approve the original date of 2 June 2023 for the visit. The first date for a visit to the West Coast municipalities is scheduled for 2 August 2023. The logistical arrangements would be communicated in due course. Members were encouraged to add specific agenda items for the engagements with municipalities.

Ms D Baartman (DA) said in terms of the Western Cape Government Constitution, the Committee is allowed to call on any person for a briefing. Another gentle reminder to the Minister might assist and if there is still no response, the possibility of a summons should be considered as a last resort. She suggested a follow-up letter with a reminder of the provisions to be sent to the Minister. She requested that West Coast municipalities be reminded to forward information about the oversight visits to councils so that ward councillors could also be involved.

Mr Dugmore sought clarity on the summons that Ms Baartman was proposing. He was not aware that the Minister had resisted to brief the Committee. He wanted to know if anyone had refused to appear before the Committee.

The Chairperson replied that no one had refused but he would be sending a gentle reminder for the Minister to make good on his willingness to brief the Committee.

Mr Marais thanked Ms Baartman for putting matters into perspective. He agreed with her proposal and said the Committee should be taken seriously.

Mr Christian agreed with the proposal to write another letter. He found it disrespectful of the Minister to not pitch when invited. He agreed to go the summons route.

Mr Dugmore said there was no need to create drama because the Minister had tabled an apology. He felt that some Members wanted to create a crisis and cautioned against stirring conflict. The Committee is based on seeking solutions.

Ms Maseko said the majority was in agreement that the country was dealing with a crisis. The Committee need an action plan from the Minister to compile its report. Communicating a date with the Minister seemed to be a moving target. She agreed with writing a gentle reminder to the Minister and to escalate the process if not response is received.

The Chairperson said he was going to write one more letter to offer the Minister a third date to brief the Committee as he had agreed initially. He will brief the Committee when he gets a response.

Minutes
The Committee adopted the minutes dated 24 May 2023.

Mr Dugmore said Ms Nkondlo was out of the country and asked that her apology be noted.

The Chairperson thanked Members for their engagement and for persevering with the bad internet connection. He thanked the sign language interpreter and Ms Cloete, the Senior Procedural Officer, for their services.

The meeting was adjourned.