Opposition MPs reject budget for 'delinquent' Energy Dept

Cape Town – The DA, IFP and EFF on Thursday rejected the budget vote for Energy outright, saying they could not support a department that is resolute on procuring nuclear energy at all costs.

MPs in the National Assembly voted and made declarations on the funds allocated to state departments, following a debate on the Appropriations Bill earlier in the day.

Gordon Mackay, DA spokesperson on energy in his declaration named the exorbitant losses at PetroSA, the illegal sale of fuel stocks at the Strategic Fuel Fund and the fast tracking of a nuclear deal as reasons for its rejection of the “delinquent department’s” budget.

READ: MPs demand answers on strategic fuel stock sale 

The IFP’s Jan Esterhuizen said in his declaration that continuous mismanagement and corruption continue to plague the Energy Department and its relentless pursuit of a nuclear build programme would make the “disasters” at Medupe and Kusile (two new coal-fired power station which are currently being built) seem small.

READ: Nuclear ruling to cause 'great unhappiness' in Russian camp 

Nazier Paulsen from the EFF issued a warning to “those who accepted bribes” during preparatory work for the nuclear procurement process.

“You’d better pay the money back, or else the Russians are coming for you,” Paulsen said, adding that the perpetrators who were responsible for selling South Africa’s strategic fuel stocks should prepare for prison, “not Dubai”.