C
Captain Compassion
Guest
Sleep earlier, boil less water
http://iafrica.com/news/sa/843730.htm
Thu, 31 Jan 2008
Cabinet ministers on Wednesday tried to calm emotions sparked by the
electricity crisis as calls for stern action against those responsible
for the chaos mount.
Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica told MPs during a special
joint parliamentary sitting to discuss the issue that perpetual
load-shedding could be avoided if South Africans used power more
responsibly.
"Go to sleep earlier so that you can grow and be cleverer. Boil less
water, use the microwave rather than stove, take a shower and not a
shallow bath," she said.
However, her advice was met with heckling and jeering from some MPs,
with the Democratic Alliance calling for the resignation of certain
cabinet ministers.
DA spokesperson on minerals and energy Hendrik Schmidt called on
President Thabo Mbeki to fire deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
and Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin if they refused to step
down.
"Failing to do so, places the task on the honourable president to
remove them from office," he said.
The Independent Democrats and the Freedom Front Plus joined the DA in
calling for those responsible for the crisis to be fired.
However, Sonjica said it was fruitless to point fingers, saying South
Africa's energy crisis was due the country being part of the global
village. There was a high demand for energy globally.
An international problem
"China, in 13 of its provinces, has the same problem. The growth of
India and China has had an impact."
She said energy markets in Ontario, Canada, had collapsed.
There had been blackouts in the USA and Europe, and Brazil had gone
through the same experience, she said.
Sonjica said the situation could be turned around.
"We are confident that we have the ability to turn around the
situation. We reassure the South African community and the world at
large that all our projects will be on course and that the 2010 FIFA
World Cup is not under threat."
Closing the debate, Erwin said the crisis could soon be a thing of the
past if large electricity consumers could cut their usage by 10
percent.
Load-shedding could be a thing of the past if metropolitan areas cut
their usage by 10 percent.
He appealed to metros to "try and find ways of closing down 10 percent
of your requirements. If we can do that we can avoid even planned
load-shedding.
"We have appealed to big users to find ways to reduce their usage by
10 percent.
"This is an area where we can make a massive contribution and possibly
eliminate load-shedding."
He said government and energy utility Eskom would embark on an
aggressive energy-saving campaign.
"Energy-saving behaviour needs to be inculcated," he said.
--
If you disagree with the theories and dogmas of Marxism or Scientific Socialism
then you are a tool of Capitalist interests. If you disagree with the theories
or dogmas of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming then you are a tool of
Capitalistic interests. Notice a pattern here? -- Captain Compassion
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to
escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. -- Marcus Aurelius
"...the whole world, including the United States, including all that
we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark
Age, made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights
of perverted science." -- Sir Winston Churchill
Joseph R. Darancette
daranc@NOSPAMcharter.net
http://iafrica.com/news/sa/843730.htm
Thu, 31 Jan 2008
Cabinet ministers on Wednesday tried to calm emotions sparked by the
electricity crisis as calls for stern action against those responsible
for the chaos mount.
Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica told MPs during a special
joint parliamentary sitting to discuss the issue that perpetual
load-shedding could be avoided if South Africans used power more
responsibly.
"Go to sleep earlier so that you can grow and be cleverer. Boil less
water, use the microwave rather than stove, take a shower and not a
shallow bath," she said.
However, her advice was met with heckling and jeering from some MPs,
with the Democratic Alliance calling for the resignation of certain
cabinet ministers.
DA spokesperson on minerals and energy Hendrik Schmidt called on
President Thabo Mbeki to fire deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
and Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin if they refused to step
down.
"Failing to do so, places the task on the honourable president to
remove them from office," he said.
The Independent Democrats and the Freedom Front Plus joined the DA in
calling for those responsible for the crisis to be fired.
However, Sonjica said it was fruitless to point fingers, saying South
Africa's energy crisis was due the country being part of the global
village. There was a high demand for energy globally.
An international problem
"China, in 13 of its provinces, has the same problem. The growth of
India and China has had an impact."
She said energy markets in Ontario, Canada, had collapsed.
There had been blackouts in the USA and Europe, and Brazil had gone
through the same experience, she said.
Sonjica said the situation could be turned around.
"We are confident that we have the ability to turn around the
situation. We reassure the South African community and the world at
large that all our projects will be on course and that the 2010 FIFA
World Cup is not under threat."
Closing the debate, Erwin said the crisis could soon be a thing of the
past if large electricity consumers could cut their usage by 10
percent.
Load-shedding could be a thing of the past if metropolitan areas cut
their usage by 10 percent.
He appealed to metros to "try and find ways of closing down 10 percent
of your requirements. If we can do that we can avoid even planned
load-shedding.
"We have appealed to big users to find ways to reduce their usage by
10 percent.
"This is an area where we can make a massive contribution and possibly
eliminate load-shedding."
He said government and energy utility Eskom would embark on an
aggressive energy-saving campaign.
"Energy-saving behaviour needs to be inculcated," he said.
--
If you disagree with the theories and dogmas of Marxism or Scientific Socialism
then you are a tool of Capitalist interests. If you disagree with the theories
or dogmas of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming then you are a tool of
Capitalistic interests. Notice a pattern here? -- Captain Compassion
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to
escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. -- Marcus Aurelius
"...the whole world, including the United States, including all that
we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark
Age, made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights
of perverted science." -- Sir Winston Churchill
Joseph R. Darancette
daranc@NOSPAMcharter.net
