The need for a reliable and stable power source is not only key for economic activity to take root, but for communities to thrive. As the country grapples with the issue of rolling power outages, the effect on service delivery is greatly felt, especially at a local level.
As a measure to counteract the effects of load shedding to key community services, Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine has acquired five emergency power generators to contribute towards the energy requirements that will ensure critical service delivery is not severely interrupted.
The project was led by Sishen’s Socio Economic Development and Engineering sections which began in 2022 and finalised in 2023. Cynthia Phota, Section Manager – Electrical Services at Sishen Mine identified the vital areas that are needed for service delivery that needed back up power, these included:
- Khai Appel Pump Station including building renovations.
- Old Kathu Water Tower.
- Kathu Water Treatment Plant.
- The Kathu Traffic Department.
- And Lenmed Hospital.
Through the installation of these generators, we’ve put measures in place to ensure the well-being of our community is not greatly impacted by power outages. This project aligns with the approved Sishen Corporate Relations Set Service Strategy, that aims to support the municipality with capacity and capabilities.”
At the cost of over R11 million, the five generators (1x 100kVA, 3 x 250kVA, 1 x 330kVA) will be paired with security features to deter vandalism and ensure continued and unabated emergency power supply to secure service delivery.
Corporate Affairs and Social Performance Manager – George Benjamin speaks on the collaborative effort between Sishen and stakeholders involved: “This intervention is about working towards common goals with the aim to positively impact the daily lives of people within our communities. Partnering with local government and Lenmed Hospital to ensure service delivery and health services continue to function with minimal interruption, is key in building thriving communities.
As indicated in our Sustainable Mine Plan, the health and wellbeing of our communities is of importance to us and we hope these generators reduce the impact of load shedding on critical services and allow them to operate unrestricted”.
