Ramaphosa won’t take nuclear risks
DEPUTY President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday reiterated in Davos, Switzerland, that a proposed nuclear build programme will only be considered in the broad context of affordability.
Ramaphosa, asked at the World Economic Forum (WEF) if South Africa is still proceeding with its programme, replied: “We have got to look at where our economy is.
“We have excess power and we have no money for major nuclear plant building, and all this needs to be looked at in the current context.”
“If, in our discussions as we proceed, we find that it doesn’t make sense because we don’t have money, that is the type of discussion we will have.”
The nuclear build programme has been mired in controversy, with corruption allegations and due to the sheer scale and cost of the project many critics say is simply unaffordable.
According to the country’s Integrated Resource Plan, South Africa is planning to build eight nuclear reactors that will generate 9.6 gigawatts of power. The price tag is estimated to be around R1 trillion.
He described the pending commission of inquiry into state capture as a “huge plus”, as “we are now going to go to the depths of what corruption
We have excess power; we have no money for major nuclear plant building
has been taking place in our state-owned enterprises”.
The terms included that any ill-gotten gains attained through a potentially compromised relationship between President Jacob Zuma and his family and the controversial Gupta family will be investigated by the Zondo Commission, to be headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Ramaphosa said he had not yet seen the terms of reference set by Zuma and would “need time to look at them, to study them and see the extent to which they are going to enable the commission of inquiry to do its work effectively”.
“The positive thing about these state capture processes is that, one, we are now going to the depths of what corruption has been taking place in our state-owned enterprises. That is a huge plus.
“Two, we have an independent judge who is going to look at all this.
“Three, this process will go in tandem with the process that needs to be followed by the criminal justice system, of identifying who has committed wrongs and making sure they are brought to book.”
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit this month reportedly moved to freeze assets of about R1.6 billion belonging to the Gupta family, who are at the centre of state capture allegations.
Ramaphosa, who is in Davos as the country’s deputy president and the recently elected president of the ruling ANC, said the two processes should not be seen as excluding the other one.
“The two processes will go ahead because where wrong has been committed, it must be followed through and those found to be responsible for that must be dealt with.” – African News Agency/ANA
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