Energy minister David Mahlobo is forcing his department to work weekends to rush through the integrated energy plan – a key assessment needed to start the procurement process for nuclear energy.<\/p>\n
Citing insiders at the department, the City Press reports that the document will now be completed months ahead of schedule. It was initially set to be done in February 2018, but is not on its way to being complete within the next two weeks.<\/p>\n
It has been widely speculated that Mahlobo was moved to the energy department specifically to push through the country’s nuclear plans, which have been met with criticism from opposition parties and SA businesses.<\/p>\n
It was reported that a delegation from Russia met with Zuma ahead of his most recent cabinet reshuffle, where Mahlobo was moved to the energy department.<\/p>\n
Mahbolo has admitted he has close ties to the Russian government – one of the key bidders for the nuclear project – but \u00a0denied any undue influence, and has insisted that the nuclear plans will follow the necessary procurement processes.<\/p>\n
In his recent mini-budget speech, finance minister Malusi Gigaba said that, while nuclear is still planned as part of South Africa’s energy mix, at the moment the country simply cannot afford it.<\/p>\n
Conservative estimates have put the price of South Africa’s proposed nuclear energy plan at R1 trillion.<\/p>\n
However, president Jacob Zuma and now Mahlobo have said that nuclear energy for South Africa is a given – it will happen.<\/p>\n