South Africa has embarked on a major renewable energy programme, but President Jacob Zuma got his sums wrong talking about this at a G20 leaders meeting in Turkey.

Rolling black-outs in 2008 and the need to tackle the country’s large carbon footprint have compelled South Africa to prioritise renewable energy.

Starting in 2011, the country invited independent power producers to sell electricity to the country’s power supplier, Eskom.

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma told his fellow G20 leaders in Turkey at the weekend: “In South Africa we are taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint. We have managed to attract investment of over $14-million for the construction of about 6 000 MW of renewable energy.”

Wait a minute. Google alone has invested $12-million in a solar plant in South Africa’s Northern Cape province.

So what is the real sum invested overall? How much has South Africa really attracted in renewable energy investments?

Investments of R192.6-billion pledged

Africa Check contacted the South African presidency to request the source of Zuma’s claim, but spokesperson Bongani Majola did not respond to an email.

However, a September 2015 report by the department of energy showed that the South African government has so far procured 6 327 MW from independent power producers. At the end of June 2015, 1 860 MW had come online.

According to the report, the independent power producers had pledged investments of R192.6-billion, or $13.4-billion at current exchange rates. That’s nearly 100 times the $14-million Zuma cited in his speech.

Conclusion: Zuma slips up on dollar amount of renewable energy programme

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma slipped up and provided the wrong information in a speech to global leaders at a meeting in Turkey.

He vastly understated the investment South Africa’s renewable energy programme attracted. Independent power producers has pledged about $13.4-billion in investment, not $14-million as Zuma’s speech read.

Researched by Anim van Wyk

First published by Africa Check, a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org.