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Cape Town - Anti-nuclear group Koeberg Alert Alliance on Friday questioned a report on Fin24 because it said former UK politician Tim Yeo, quoted in the story, was accused of accepting money from corporations to advance their agendas.
“Tim Yeo is a disgraced ex-politican (sic) from the UK,” the group said. “He was accused in the UK Sunday Times of breaching the parliamentary code of conduct by acting as a paid advocate who would promote a client’s private agenda for a daily fee of £7 000.”
“So a disgraced ex-politician who stands accused of perjury and has been found to accept money from corporations to advance their agendas says that South Africa must go nuclear,” it said. “That should be enough to give pause for thought.”
Yeo’s organisation New Nuclear Watch Europe responded to the concern on Friday.
“The trip to South Africa was paid for out of NNWE funds and the supporters are clearly highlighted on the website," it said in a statement. "We also resolutely reject any assertion that Tim either took money or is accused of perjury - neither of these allegations from the article are true.”
“Tim makes no attempt to hide his support of nuclear technology. He is long-standing supporter of the technology, hence the formation of New Nuclear Watch Europe (NNWE) and his position as chairman of NNWE.
“NNWE is an initiative from Tim Yeo to promote the benefits of nuclear power around the world. Tim has built a small network of companies, academics and other interested parties involved in the energy sector to come together to sponsor and back the project. The supporters of NNWE can be found on its website: www.newnuclearwatch.eu."
The interview occurred at the Nuclear Africa Conference this week, where Yeo presented a report on the benefits of nuclear in South Africa.
“You’ve got to negotiate very toughly, because all these providers are out to make money,” Yeo told Fin24 in the interview.
“They’re not going to give anything away,” said Yeo, a former UK Conservative MP and minister. “Be prepared to fight hard on localisation and also on the cost of capital, because nuclear is an odd industry. You put all your money up front and you get no money for six or seven years and then you start to make the profit."
