South Africa’s nuclear dilemma reveals instability of its political regime

Signs of a great rift over Zuma’s nuclear programme, Rand Daily Mail, RAY HARTLEY 30 SEPTEMBER 2016 In another indication of President Jacob Zuma’s dimishing influence, his headlong rush to build a ‘fleet’ of nuclear reactors has been halted. And there are signs that it is going to be cut down to size, if it goes ahead at all.

The energy minister, Tina Joemat-Petterssen, was due to issue a request for proposals today, getting the ball rolling on the massive acquisition.

But, yesterday, the minister in the presidency, Jeff Radebe, announced that this would not go ahead……..

This is very significant. One of the steps taken by Zuma at the start of the nuclear acquisition drive was the shunting aside of recommendations by the revised integrated resource plan that nuclear acquisition be delayed and reduced in scope.

Zuma moved Joemat-Petterson into the energy portfolio to speed up the nuclear acquistion and she has doggedly attempted to do so. Now she may be sidelined.

What is most likely taking place here is a recognition that the full nuclear build would be too costly – to the fiscus and politically. Instead, under Eskom, government is likely to develop a more limited build programme that it believes it can more easily finance.

Eskom has already suggested that the utility will have a surplus north of R150bn to help finance nuclear http://www.rdm.co.za/politics/2016/09/30/politics-live-signs-of-a-great-rift-over-zuma-s-nuclear-programme

October 1, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized

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