Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma on Sunday launched a flagship solar power plant in Hazelmere, KwaZulu-Natal.
The launch comes amid South Africa's hosting of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP 17,
in Durban.
Zuma said the solar plant was expected to improve the
lives of both the people of Hazelmere and of those from its surroundings
areas.
"For the first time, the neighbouring communities will
have access to clean electricity generated from their backyards, and
with possibilities of job opportunities," he said.
Zuma said the partnership between Soitec and Ethekwini
Municipality, which resulted in the solar plant, was also designed to
include skills development in which the local community will benefit,
especially the youth.
"We are happy that the KwaZulu-Natal provincial
government has made a strategic decision to begin positioning itself for
renewable energy production in South Africa," he said.
Addressing delegates at COP 17, which also serves as the
Seventh Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, Zuma said some of
them were representing various companies and countries that pioneered
solar technology in its various forms.
He said they were also in South Africa to explore the
possibility of scaling up the renewable energy option in the local
energy mix.
"Indeed, your efforts will assist us in addressing the green economy value chain to create employment and to alleviate poverty.
"This is the path we are taking as a country, and we
want you to bring the technologies and financial resources to our shores
for investment in the proposed energy initiatives," Zuma said.
He pointed out that Africa had abundant renewable
energy sources and that these needed to be harnessed in building an
inclusive and sustainable green economy.
"The world has gathered in Durban because of the realisation that we have to respond urgently and adequately to climate change."
Zuma said changing weather patterns were causing extreme drought, wildfires, extreme floods and other unusual occurrences.
"We have seen drought in Somalia which has caused
famine and devastation. Other parts of the world face severe hurricanes
and tornadoes. Even here in KZN we know that the weather is no longer
what it used to be, due to global warming," he said.
Zuma warned that if nothing was done, climate change
will leave South Africa with uninhabitable waste lands and
socioeconomic disasters.
"The people of Hazelmere will remember COP 17 as the
summit that made them a part of ensuring that future generations inherit
a world that is environmentally sustainable and climate resilient.
"This is South Africa's first large-scale offering within the clean energy arena. But it is not the last," Zuma said.
"We are looking at other possible avenues to improve
our emissions profile while creating employment opportunities for our
people," he said.
Zuma further congratulated all partners in the solar
plant project, adding that "we must move forward together towards an
environmentally safer future and economic prosperity".