The Eastern and Northern Cape governments have joined forces to ensure billions of rand in renewable-energy investments along their shared border translate into jobs, local business opportunities and broader economic benefits for communities on both sides.
The two provinces signed a memorandum of understanding to co-ordinate the economic benefits.
The agreement was signed last week at the Phezukomoya Wind Energy Farm site office in Noupoort.
At the heart of the agreement is the Koruson renewable-energy cluster, comprising the Koruson 1 and Koruson 2 projects by EDF Power Solutions and Envusa Energy developments whose footprint cuts across provincial and municipal boundaries.
Economic development, environmental affairs and tourism MEC Nonkqubela Pieters signed the agreement.
This established a structured framework for co-operation around the Koruson renewable energy cluster, whose footprint extends across the province and the Northern Cape.
Pieters said the projects had implications for communities, labour markets, enterprise development, human settlements, logistics, grid infrastructure and socioeconomic development initiatives in both provinces.
She said the agreement lay not only in the renewable energy facilities themselves, but in the fact that the projects spanned municipal and provincial boundaries.
“We welcome the investment because it brings opportunities for economic growth, infrastructure development, skills development, local enterprise participation and long-term community benefit.
Pieters said the agreement would enable closer co-ordination with municipalities and communities, while ensuring development projects aligned with the province’s Integrated Development Plan, Spatial Development Framework and other key priorities.
A key feature of the agreement is the establishment of an interprovincial committee comprising representatives from the two provinces and EDF.
The committee is expected to meet quarterly.
In October 2023, the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape governments signed an MOU at the SA Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town to work together on the production of green hydrogen in the country.
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