President Cyril Ramaphosa says government will start the procurement of emergency power from projects that can deliver electricity into the grid – within 3 to 12 months from approval.

Government will also allow municipalities to procure their own power from independent power producers.

The President made the announcement last night, in his State of the Nation Address.

The DA in the Western Cape has welcomed the news.

The DA says all financially sustainable municipalities who applied for s34 determinations should receive approval to procure energy directly.

The City of Cape Town had been lobbying to procure energy directly from IPP’s for some time.