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Sleep more - Energy Minister

2008-01-31 08:26

Cape Town - South Africans could save electricity by going to sleep earlier and boiling less water, Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica told Parliament on Wednesday.

"Go to sleep earlier so that you can grow and be cleverer. Boil less water, use the microwave rather than stove, take a shower and not a shallow bath," she told a special sitting of Parliament to discuss the power crisis.

She was unveiling a 10-point plan to encourage South Africans to change their electricity usage habits.

Amid much heckling and jeering from some MPs, she criticised calls from "some quarters" to identify culprits and castigate them.

"Crucify, crucify, crucify," she said.

She was loudly jeered when she thanked the ANC for the leadership "it has provided in helping us deal with this emergency".

Sonjica said South Africa's power crisis was due to the country being part of the "global village". There was a "high demand" of energy globally.

"China, in 13 of its provinces, has the same problem. The growth of India and China has had an impact."

She said energy markets in Ontario, Canada, had collapsed. There had been blackouts in the USA and Europe, and Brazil had gone "through the same experience", she said.

Sonjica said the situation could be turned around.

"We are confident that we have the ability to turn around the situation. We reassure the South African community and the world at large that all our projects will be on course and that the 2010 Fifa World Cup is not under threat."

- SAPA


Rina Oxley 1/30/2008 3:29:41 PM
i would like to thank the Minister for the information, that if you sleep more you grow and become cleverer, i really was not aware of that, What happens to the older generation? What is the largest size you can grow to and how much cleverer do you become.

momz 1/30/2008 3:29:53 PM
Sleep Earlier so that the criminals can have a field day. What is wrong with the powers that be in this country??

shaun 1/30/2008 3:34:31 PM
At least we can sail around in the dark with our great warships and fly our fighter planes.

Ashanzi 1/30/2008 3:35:31 PM
...she thanked the ANC for the leadership "it has provided in helping us deal with this emergency"? The ANC CAUSED this emergency with its short-sightedness, incompetence, and focus on the arms deal instead of Eskom's warnings of future shortages. The Party should resign from government and disband - not reap acclaim for so-called "leadership"!

Shame 1/30/2008 3:36:25 PM
Shame. It is from sleeping too much that the country is in such a mess. Does the minister really think that we should take her seriously?

Amazed 1/30/2008 3:36:26 PM
God help us all if this is the level of intelligence to which we must be subjected. I wonder how much I (and my intelligence) will grow at over 50 years of age. As I will be unable to read in bed, I suspect that it is more likely to diminish, anyway.

Only_Me 1/30/2008 3:38:44 PM
Pity the minister did not sleep some more so she could have grown up to cleverer ! oh well she can still try now :)

Hau 1/30/2008 3:38:54 PM
This is a good one, a real pearl!

Wessel 1/30/2008 3:40:22 PM
According to Carte Blanche the reason for the current crisis is not the demand but the supply, which have been at 70%! It seems the minister is trying to hide government's and Eskom's inabilitity to keep the power stations running.

Suzette van der Linde 1/30/2008 3:40:52 PM
How are you going to monitor the usage of electricity in pre paid boxes which are installed inside the homes of people?

John Camp 1/30/2008 3:42:33 PM
Simply put, pathetic, inadequate, embarrassing, irritating, disgraceful and a laughing stock! Another politician that should resign. Go to bed early? I wonder what my emplyer would say if i nipped out home for two hours shut eye twice a day, everyday. If this is the best she can offer then, NEXT PLEASE!

Doug 1/30/2008 3:43:59 PM
You know what. This is so funny. Only in South Africa do we have ministers that say stupid things like this. Please go and click on her name. She is not even qualified for this position! Thanks for the entertainment HONOURABLE MINISTER..

Sucker 1/30/2008 3:44:05 PM
What a joke!! Goverment must except the responsabilty for the current situation and stop blaming the people and wanting to penelize the people when using more than their so called kwota power.

Pman 1/30/2008 3:44:53 PM
This actually makes sense and i`m sure the Board of Eskom and the government obide by this in fact i think they`re constantly sleeping. Therefore no lights necessary

lloyd 1/30/2008 3:45:11 PM
"take a shower and not a shallow bath" Is this energy saving or part of the Aids prevention programme?

CJ 1/30/2008 3:45:23 PM
Cleverer? Maybe she needs to sleep more...

Ron 1/30/2008 3:45:48 PM
At least some competition for Marc Lottering in Cape Town as to who can tell the best jokes. Parliament should sell more tickets!!

Mike 1/30/2008 3:46:28 PM
The ANC goverment was sleeping and thats why we have this problem, it amazes me that they refer to other countries as examples when it suits them, what a laugh this goverment is...God Help us if we keep votong them in here comes Zimbabwe part two!!!

Brett 1/30/2008 3:46:31 PM
Ms Buyelwa Sonjica and her colleagues in the minerals and energy department should go to sleep earlier so that they can hopfully become a bit more cleverer so that they can do their job and not be so incompetent. Maybe they will grow up and take responsibility for the mess they have caused.

Pietman 1/30/2008 3:47:12 PM
Thats the solutions everyones been waiting for. Where do these people get these ideas????? Don't worry SA - we've got VERY clever people up there!!!!

Spoegs 1/30/2008 3:48:06 PM
Eish, I am so tiyad, I weesh thees problem wood jus go eway.

Stefan 1/30/2008 3:48:51 PM
If our ministers slept more they would then have been cleverer - avoiding the mess they caused! Buyelwa Sonjica, please go to bed and stop the spin.

jenny 1/30/2008 3:49:03 PM
"Go to sleep earlier so that you can grow and be cleverer." prove?? she must have gone to bed since grade 1...

T 1/30/2008 3:49:15 PM
Minister - you come and fit my house with a shower. Really now what right do you have to tell us when to sleep! As for the kids they are so over loaded at school that when they should be sleeping they studying. Thats how their intelligence is improved btw.

SkerP 1/30/2008 3:49:51 PM
When your national utility has 20% (7,000 MW) of its plant out on breakdowns with no target date for their return to service, and no accountable managers driving that return, you have an energy crisis. Crucify indeed. You don't have the gonads.

MPD 1/30/2008 3:49:52 PM
The minister must be very short on sleep. I suggest she sleep a lot more, so she can get "cleverer", she is badly in need of it. Further, to compare SA to China, where they are building power stations rapidly, is insulting to the Chinese.

Affronted 1/30/2008 3:50:27 PM
How dare the minister display such arrogance in dictating to South Africans how they should live their lives! Rescue us from this fool's paradise.

Lesedi 1/30/2008 3:50:34 PM
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Zille for not using her criticism attacks for political gains, I think the DA must be applauded this time around for providing possible solutions and i also ask the community of south africa to do the same.we will travel this black city together and we will arrive victories there is no time to play a blame game. It?s time to do something to help the government and Eskom to overcome this problem for the sake of our country

high 1/30/2008 3:50:46 PM
Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for making me realise that i am one of the priviledged few that can afford some of the luxuries you were talking about. Thank you for reminding me why i did not vote for short sighted, greedy, anal retentive people who only looks out for themselves. Back to Minister Beetroot.

Grant 1/30/2008 3:51:21 PM
then we'll have lots of electricity and no AIDS. our problems .... are solved ! I think the SA panel of experts deserve Darwin awards and Noddy badges. I am soooooo relieved that we're in such capable hands. I'd never have thought that more sleep could have such a superb effect on this energy issue. Wonder what she will say when winter comes along and people pull out the electric blankets...

fred 1/30/2008 3:51:45 PM
I'm not sure if i should laugh or cry.

Gail 1/30/2008 3:52:23 PM
Wow the intellectual capacity that must have been needed to come up with this...........mind boggling

Ant 1/30/2008 3:52:51 PM
My advice to the ANC and their so called leaders in would be:"Keep your mouth shut on the Electricity crisis in SA. The more you say the more your lack of understanding the problem and infact the reasons for developing a country and its economy, shows."

kwk 1/30/2008 3:53:57 PM
None of the countries mentioned: China, India, Canada nor Europe nor Brazil had to shut down their main export earners, like we had to do with our mines.All of the countries mentioned would have hold someone accountable if a situation was created that halved their expected growth prospects.How exactly does the high global demand impact us?We aren't exporting to China and Brazil, are we?We must do something.Please vote the fat cats out for a better SA for all.

kontinuum 1/30/2008 3:55:11 PM
The reason why people can not change their habits is because we have the cheapest electricity in the world. If we were paying economic rates, people will be contrained to change their habits

kwk 1/30/2008 3:57:23 PM
At least we can be sure the powers that be was doing just that when it was time to plan to keep the infrastructure up to date.I doubt they became cleverer though.

Republic of the Banana 1/30/2008 4:00:00 PM
In position with her useless qualifications.What do you expect from a twaT!!!

LM 1/30/2008 4:00:16 PM
Wouldn't garlic also help solve the energy crisis?

Lights 1/30/2008 4:01:08 PM
Sleep more, maybe it is because our government was sleeping for the passed 13 years and now we are sitting in the dark, maybe the minister should wake up earlier and start working... by the way did she sleep when she was appointed, shocking what this country has become

OMG 1/30/2008 4:01:55 PM
Sweet Mother of God! And these are the people who are our elected leaders! We are increasingly becoming the laughing stock of the world. (or should I say,'weld'?)

PAT 1/30/2008 4:02:06 PM
We should do what?, Is this what government calls a solution?. Phumzile Ncquka said they did not believe the economy would grow, even when a report was presented to them. These guys are parthetic and finally we know why, They have been sleeping too much and not working at all. The worst is that they want us to join them. Why trust such people with crucial things, they should be kinder garden teachers, the little ones would educate them better. we are doomed, bye bye 2010.

Maverick 1/30/2008 4:02:42 PM
Please book this minister into a psychiatric ward because she needs REAL help. While they at it - take the current minister of public enterprise too...

Pietman 1/30/2008 4:03:56 PM
I wonder if the people voting for these idiots also feels like idiots now. Imbicils voting for imbicils. Power to the people????????

TK 1/30/2008 4:05:40 PM
Oh my word. If she can be a minister so can I. Wake up women.... Are you actually saying these words?????

Moses 1/30/2008 4:06:09 PM
May be if we sleep more we will start to understand these government officials?at the moment none of them are making any sense at all.I wonder how may blackouts she had experienced ?

rorypff 1/30/2008 4:07:04 PM
Crying out loud, it took Zimbabwe 24 years before they had power problems and South Africa 14 years!! The writing is definitely on the wall - just another tin pot african state.

Graeme 1/30/2008 4:07:10 PM
Pull the other one - no seriously, do it. Oh, you mean this was a geniune suggestion?? Are we that far down the toilet already???

Ha ha 1/30/2008 4:07:25 PM
These remarks are nearly as bad the garlic and beetroot ideas, I cannot believe that we have people like this running our country. I have an idea minister, perhaps sleeping more is the reason your brain functions so inadequately. HA HA HA - Pathetic!!!!!

Annie 1/30/2008 4:10:26 PM
Now I've heard it all!!! Lets hope this "minister" goes to bed VERY early tonight, and she is not seen or heard of for a loooooooong time. (That should give her at the very most, a teeny bit of BRAINPOWER (IN HER OPINION)

Boet 1/30/2008 4:11:06 PM
I would expect that kind of statements from a child! Definitely something wrong with the "cleverness" in parliament!

Fred Steffers 1/30/2008 4:12:03 PM
Perhaps the honorable Minister should "Go to sleep earlier so that she can grow and be cleverer?. If 20 Million people go to bed 1 hours earlier and each person switches off a 100 watt light Then there is a saving of 2 000 000 watts or otherwise put 2 Mega watts. Eskom currently has a shortfall of between 3000 and 4000 Mega watts. Thus by sleeping earlier we would be able to reduce the shortfall by a massive 0.05%. Secondly I don?t think Eskom has a shortfall at 9 o clock at night when most of the businesses and factories are closed. The honorable Minister should rather address the root of the problem, Cut down on exporting power to neighboring countries, make sure our power stations have enough coal to burn and make sure power stations and networks are properly maintained

J 1/30/2008 4:12:11 PM
How do you congratulate the people who created the crisis for solving it? If they did their work there would not have been a crisis. No offence, but what does a person with no experience in the field, no qualification in the area, unless BA in art and isiXhosa = a technical qualification know about bench marking and technical problem solving. Dear minister what was China and India?s economic growth vs South Africa. Go to bed for a long time, then maybe you will be qualified in die area you are trying to advice us in.

johann 1/30/2008 4:13:02 PM
At times i feel guilty for making the USA my new home, but then i read a bunch of crap like this coming out of the gov mouth! Let me assure you, even after massive winter storms or hurricanes, the power is back up in a few days. Yes the power goes down, but it is not because of people boiling to much water.... mind you i have the need to make a cup of Rooibos. Totsiens Afrika!

Bongo 1/30/2008 4:13:11 PM
Thank you for a wonderfull site , I am 23 years old and would like to know how much sleep do I need to become a minister one day ? Will this much sleep also improve my grades at school also ? Can I sue my employer for accusing me of to much sleep while at the office. Thanks again and looking forward to your reply

Kay Sea 1/30/2008 4:13:57 PM
And she gets paid WHAT???

Jaco Cilliers 1/30/2008 4:14:14 PM
That's the best they can do??? They can do better I reckon... perhaps by gagging the Energy Mininster, as not only these type of comments and (void) thought process, but also rolling blackouts and lies about wet coal etc is what leaves me sleepless. I normally have to put in 3-4hrs at night in my business due to powercuts, err... "loadshedding" during business hours - and then go toss and turn from worry due to unhappy clients and backlogs. Most SA gov ministers have my vote of NO CONFIDENCE.

Ken Gamble 1/30/2008 4:15:42 PM
Doug, SA can do without pessimists like yourself. If it's so bad here why not head for the greener pastures from whence your ancestors escaped? Then you will realise how lucky you are. If all one gets is stupid comments in SA, then surely so is your one dunderhead!

Denene Erasmus 1/30/2008 4:17:04 PM
Is she being serious or does she have a cruel sense of humour?

Hendrik 1/30/2008 4:17:33 PM
"Go to sleep earlier so that you can grow and be cleverer"!? WTF???? Ever stopped and thinked who is your target audience? "She was loudly jeered when she thanked the ANC for the leadership" - Is this crisis not the ANC government's FAULT? They were aware of this since mid 90's but failed to act (not to mention wrongly applying AA policies) ANOTHER idiotic "minister" babbling mindless garble before thinking. MANTO is still on top, but I give you close second place!!

G-zo 1/30/2008 4:18:08 PM
Such comments clearly indicate the ignorance and shortsightedness of most people who are leading our nation. How can you say we should sleep more to save electricity??? Now we know why we are in this messss, its because the government officials are carrying this delusion of thinking that they should sleep more with the aim of growing and becoming clever, instead of doing thorough research and coming up with rational decisions. Sleeping more will bring up a new breed of lazy people!!!!

Puzzled 1/30/2008 4:19:27 PM
If they were more awake and put in the same effort in the Energy generation as was put into: Finding new street, town, airport names, arms deals, working on travel schemes. Was as efficient and effective in solving problems like they are in dismantling things that work for example the Scorpions etc. We would be streets ahead of our time. If you take action against people that do not perform you get accountability

Shahin Lalla 1/30/2008 4:20:10 PM
Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica, You are a joke. It because of morons like yourself this country is the way it is today. SLEEP MORE? Are you even serious??? I think you gotta wake up instead, and realize how you and the rest of the ANC has screwed up our beautiful country. I am a huge soccer fan and very excited about the 2010 world cup, but i wish that the world cup is taken away from us because maybe something like that will wake all you ministers up.

malebza 1/30/2008 4:20:14 PM
we are not interested in all this arguments, but we want to be served as we pay with pride.Is Eskom still looking forward to an interest hike==dont think soooooooooooooo

Gail 1/30/2008 4:21:11 PM
If sleep is a factor of IQ.............our fearless leaders are clearly sleep deprived

Mareme 1/30/2008 4:21:45 PM
This is funny to hear that the minister said we must sleep more. What about during the day, "should we still keep on sleeping to save power?" M-Corn.

disguted 1/30/2008 4:21:58 PM
After reading this woman's stupid comments, I call on all non intellectually challanged South Africans not to vote for the ANC this coming elections if you don't want us to turn into Zimbabwe crisis, because with this government,that's where we heading to.

Whatever 1/30/2008 4:22:15 PM
This is just great - now they want to tell us when we must go to bed, because they did not wake up from their sleep to realise we were going to have a problem if they did not build more stations. What a joke they make themselves? Clowns that we have running parliament

Annie 1/30/2008 4:22:19 PM
Instead of sleeping more, why don't we all go on to a CARROT diet, as we were told (as children) it makes you see better in the dark, then we won't need to switch on some lights.

Emmanuel 1/30/2008 4:24:15 PM
That must be the dumbest cabinet minister in the world, by the way i'm an ANC member

carol 1/30/2008 4:24:23 PM
Is anybody listening? I also want to go to sleep earlier, so I too can grow. But I am59 so now what? Ag No way.

Ashamed! 1/30/2008 4:24:31 PM
WOW! I bet they spent a lot of money on the delicate, indepth research it took to come up with this contingency plan. They probably got the same monkeys that throw poo at the Zoo to do the research....and then present it to the baboons that run our government. I wish that they all just F%*/% Off along with the other Dictators in Africa and all just commit suicide for the sake of the people. That would be a Happy Day!

maggie 1/30/2008 4:24:56 PM
I'm not surprised that our Minister has such a unique answer for the big challenge that we have, most probably she is not affected because she spents her time sleeping and still get paid. i don't think that even a seven year old child can give such an answer to a problem so big.

ian 1/30/2008 4:25:37 PM
What the ANC has effected here is nothing short of high treason and appears to be an attempt to make South Africa ungovernable in the future. Perhaps just another step in their attempt to continue looting state coffers. Hang them all!

Gavin Selby 1/30/2008 4:25:42 PM
If the minister could get her head around the concept of daylight saving we could save an hour of lighting in the summer months.

Jackson Sithole 1/30/2008 4:26:27 PM
I am ashamed to say that I am a black citizen and that I have to sit with friends and see that "stupid" MINISTERS make statements like that please to not under estimate your incompetence because you show it so openly, why dont you imigrate

Ron 1/30/2008 4:27:28 PM
I can't believe I only now realised why the Ministers are seen sleeping in Parliament - to get clevererrrr!!!!

Richard 1/30/2008 4:28:10 PM
A future president that tells us take a shower and you won?t get aids, a Health minister that tells us garlic and beetroot will cure aids (Hicup..), and a Energy minister that tells us if we sleep more we become more clever? wow you have to love the educated bunch that run our country.

Phelly 1/30/2008 4:34:36 PM
As funny as all these comments are, they are too true. I, as a black person am disgusted and appauled by the Minister's statement. First the Zuma anti AIDS shower, and now the energy saver. What do you have for Cancer?

Malcolm X 1/30/2008 4:35:26 PM
Everybody in the country knows how to save electricity. This is not the problem. The problem is getting the ANC & Eskom to learn how to produce more of the stuff & also why its so important to everybody. Clearly the dishonourable minister needs to sleep more so that she can grow to be cleverer. Perhaps if she sleeps a lot more, nobody would miss her.

Roelof 1/30/2008 4:39:54 PM
I have no words. Really. These people may well make our working holiday in Australia a permanent one.

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