South Africa: Fight Poverty Through Energy Provision - Sonjica

from All Africa

BuaNews (Tshwane)

Bongani Mlangeni
Pretoria

Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has called on Southern African countries to fight poverty through the provision of energy.

Speaking at the South Africa-Chile Inter-governmental seminar on Tuesday, the minister said these countries needed to improve and increase energy supply to their citizens as this would contribute to poverty alleviation.

Other countries which participated in the seminar included Brazil, Angola and Mozambique.

"Access to energy for poor households can go a long way in reducing poverty and improving the lives of the poor. We need to apply our minds to how we improve the provision of energy, said Ms Sonjica.

The minister explained that it would make sense for all countries to begin to apply their minds in the area of energy provision and other areas with comparative advantages.

"It would make sense that we get worried about energy supply security given the strategic importance it plays in our economy," she said.

The developed world, Minister Sonjica said, owed its success to the availability of energy as it forms the basis of success for the economy of any country.

The minister further urged the countries participating in the South African-Chile Intergovernmental seminar to improve their cooperation in areas such as skills development and exchanging of knowledge in the field of mining.

It was estimated that by 2050 the world population would have doubled, and this would put strain on energy supply.

"No government can only rely on their national policy for their energy supply to grow its economy," Minister Sonjica said, adding that it was for these reasons that different nations needed to cooperate and learn from one another.

Minister Sonjica said cooperation in the energy sector must be extended to mining, as South Africa's experience and expertise in deep level mining could benefit the southern region.

"We have a competitive advantage on seismology and other relevant techniques but still have a serious challenge in predicting the seismic events in the mines leading to deaths of miners,".