The National Assembly ratified an agreement for the peaceful utilisation of nuclear power with the European Atomic Energy Community on 17 November 2020. In July 2018, the European Union (EU) reminded the former Minister of Energy, Mr Jeff Radebe, that ratification from South Africa’s side was still needed while all the required steps had already been finalised on the EU’s side.
The fact that South Africa’s ratification was so long overdue is indicative of the deterioration in the management of South Africa’s nuclear energy capacity. While the previous government built the Koeberg power station and allegedly six nuclear bombs were dismantled in various stages of completion, nuclear-related operations are currently experiencing serious management problems.
The board (but for a few members) of NECSA, or the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa, was dismissed at the end of 2018. Although world-class medical and industrial products are still being manufactured by Pelindaba just west of Pretoria, on the whole, NECSA proceeded to accumulate losses.
The current chairperson of the board, Dave Nicholls, reported earlier this year to the parliamentary Portfolio Committee that a projected profit was suddenly turned into a projected loss of more than R330 million by Covid-19.
According to media reports, not only banks, but also licensing authorities and even one of NECSA’s subsidiaries have had to provide credit to the institution. The announced restructuring of NECSA will at best result in subsidiaries being forced to pay for the holding company’s mismanagement.
In the FF Plus’s view, it is essential that South Africa’s nuclear operations are managed well. Not only does poor management result in economic problems, but the risk of nuclear waste that remains dangerous for centuries to come also comes into play.
Thus, it is important to involve more nations in the management thereof by means of agreements like this one. The FF Plus, therefore, voted in favour of the ratification of the agreement.
Read the original article in Afrikaans by Dr. Wynand Boshoff on FF Plus
South Africa Today – South Africa News
