MPs slam Department of Energy

Cape Town – Nuclear energy is part of South Africa’s energy mix and no amount of unsubstantiated allegations will change that, said ANC MP Fikile Majola in the National Assembly on Tuesday. 

MPs were making declarations on the Department of Energy’s Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report when Majola in his capacity as chairperson of the portfolio committee on energy, accused his fellow committee members from other political parties of “grandstanding” about energy issues. 

“I accept members have a right to say what they want to say, but can it be done with decency, please?” Majola requested. 

His utterances came after opposition MPs slammed the Department of Energy for being non-transparent with regard to the nuclear procurement programme, disorganised relating to policy development and unable to hold the entities under its auspices to account. 

Gordon Mackay, DA spokesperson on energy said in his declaration South Africa has become obsessed with energy policy. “[There are] endless pages and online posts dedicated to the shenanigans at Zupta captured Eskom to the Zupta’s pet nuclear project energy, to the illegal sale of the nation’s entire strategic fuel stock,” he claimed. 

READ: #StateCaptureReport: Madonsela nails Eskom over Gupta coal tender

“This fashion for interest in energy policy stems from the ANC’s recent realisation that there are billions to me made in rent extraction in an industry where even the smallest deals are worth millions and where multiple state owned entities operate to hide all manner of self enrichment.” 

The declarations on the Department’s budget came after the Central Energy Fund had appeared before the portfolio committee on energy earlier on Wednesday. 

Briefing MPs on its annual report of 2015/16, the CEF came under fire for having a laissez faire attitude towards the selling off of South Africa’s strategic oil reserves. 

In March this year, the SFF came under heavy criticism when it emerged that it was in contravention of the Public Finance Management Act by selling off the crude oil reserves. 

READ: Energy minister orders review of fuel fund contracts

In another declaration, Lehlohonolo Mokoena, EFF MP, also slammed the “Zupta-led” faction in the ANC, which “seems to be hell-bent” on procuring nuclear energy despite warnings from expert countries, such as Germany. 

“The Minister (of Energy Tina Joemat-Pettersson) was advised that nuclear energy is not cost-effective, but she chose to ignore the advice,” Mokoena said. “The only reason why this government is proceeding with nuclear energy is because they’ve received bribes from Russia.” 

Mokoena continued, saying the “hand-picked” Eskom board has since been assigned to deliver South Africa on a silver platter to countries such as Russia who is in line to provide nuclear energy infrastructure to South Africa. 

READ: Gordhan confirms Eskom is new lead in nuclear plan

Agang’s Andries Plouhamma referred in his declaration to the illegal selling off of 10 million barrels of crude oil. “The Department of Energy lacks a holistic approach and the Minister must be fired as she is an embarrassment.” 

Cheryllyn Dudley, ACDP MP in her declaration called for transparency on the nuclear deal. “There are a couple of nuclear documentation that is still outstanding – the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review, the 2004 Bilateral Agreement, agreements between South Africa and Russia, and the invitations to other countries to attend vendor parade workshops,” she said. 

Majola, concluding the declarations, said the Auditor General himself said the Department of Energy has been on a “sustained improvement trend” for the past few years, receiving unqualified audits. 

He did, however, concede that there are entities that resort under the Department that requires “urgent attention”, such as the Central Energy Fund (CEF). 

Earlier on Tuesday, Majola criticised the CEF for lacking vision and coherence and said a different strategy was needed to hold the entity accountable.