Zuma’s two trump cards in nuke deal

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s recent pronouncements that South Africa could neither afford nor does it immediately need nuclear energy are of little comfort, as it seems the powers that be are adamant to force through nuclear plans – as in like yesterday. That the administration is determined to finalise a nuclear deal before President Jacob Zuma goes was made clear with the recent Cabinet reshuffle, which saw former state security minister David Mahlobo placed in charge of the energy portfolio. It should probably be no surprise that – according to several weekend media reports – Mahlobo is pulling out all the stops to get this deal signed, sealed and delivered for his boss.

City Press reported yesterday that officials in Mahlobo’s department are working weekends to fast-track the reviewed integrated energy resource plan. At this rate, the plan will be finalised two weeks from now.

Why a nuclear build plan – of the scale envisaged by the Zuma government – would be potentially disastrous is well known. The trillion-rand nuclear deal has the potential to cripple the struggling economy.

Despite Gigaba’s seemingly sensible view that it should not be rushed, it is unlikely National Treasury will be a serious stumbling block for Mahlobo’s energy targets. In the battle of Gigaba versus Mahlobo (Zuma sycophant versus Zuma sycophant) there is likely to be one winner: Zuma.