South Africa develops solar energy with German grant

south africa is to provide electricity to at least 30,000 households in rural areas, thanks to a german government grant agreed upon in pretoria. south african minerals and energy director-general sandile nogxina and hans-peter neuhoff, senior vice president of kreditanstalt fuer wiederaufbau (kfw), a german development bank, signed the agreement.

under the agreement, the german government, through the kfw, will provide eur 15.8 mm (about $ 14.36 mm) to south africa for developing non-grid electrification in the form of solar home systems. households, schools and clinics in the eastern cape province and north west province will get access to electricity in this way.
"this is very critical for south africa," nogxina said. "the grant will help us to reach the people in the rural areas -- the poorest of the poor," he added. nelisiwe magubane, chief director of electrification in the energy department, said the money would be used as soon as possible, probably over the next two to five years.