Operation Vulindlela report sets out priorities for 2023 first quarter

The government is forging ahead with its plan to implement a feed-in tariff and tax incentive for rooftop solar panel owners by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

This is contained in an Operation Vulindlela third quarter report, which details the progress over the past two years in accelerating economic structural reforms announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in October 2020.

The operation’s key goals include:

• Scaling up supply of electricity and water;
• Efficient transport;
• Reducing the cost of data and improving the quality of digital communications; and
• A new visa regime to attract skills and also grow tourism.

Four new reforms have been added, aimed at:

• Creating an appropriate legislative framework for hemp and cannabis;
• Enabling the devolution of passenger rail functions to local government;
• Titling reform for low-cost housing; and
• Developing a fit-for-purpose procurement regime for state-owned entities.

Earlier in 2022, Ramaphosa announced temporary measures to resolve the country’s energy crisis. These included subsidising households and businesses to install roof solar panels.

In addition to the incentives, the report says progress on the energy action plan includes establishing a one-stop shop for energy projects and reducing approval times by 50%. The government also wants to appoint an independent board to operationalise the transmission entity and table the Electricity Regulation Amendment Bill in parliament.

On transport, the state wants private-sector participation in container terminals and freight rail to deal with logistical bottlenecks. It also wants to complete the analogue switch-off and digital migration.

Then there is a plan to table the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency Bill in parliament and establish a water partnerships office to improve investment in water resources.

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