Pretoria - A “Trojan horse” was strategically placed outside the Energy’s Department’s offices in Pretoria yesterday in protest against the nuclear plan the department is investing in.
Greenpeace Africa protesters chained a nuclear Trojan horse to a gate right at the entrance of the department in protest over what they said was a dead-end road to nowhere.
“Greenpeace’s protest highlights the fact that the nuclear deal may be presented by the government and the pro-nuclear lobby as something that is good for South Africa, but it is nothing but a Trojan horse,” said Melita Steele, senior climate and energy campaign manager at Greenpeace Africa. “New investments in nuclear are a trap that will not solve South Africa’s electricity crisis, since the nuclear reactors will take at least a decade to build. The cost of nuclear investments – up to R1 trillion – could very well bankrupt the country and will deliver too late and at far too high a price,” she said.
In mythology a Trojan horse was used during the Trojan War centuries ago by the Greeks, presented as a gift, to gain entrance into Troy and destroy the city.
The protest was a consequence of Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson not responding within seven days to a letter Greenpeace had sent her on August 17. In the letter, Greenpeace Africa demanded the department make public the studies and assessments about nuclear investments.
Their demands included that:
* The department release timelines for completion of an updated IRP (Integrated Resource Plan) and the nuclear procurement process be halted until such time the new IRP has been approved by the Cabinet.
* Wide-ranging public hearings be carried out before procurement.
* All information related to potential costs for the nuclear programme and all expected impacts on the price of electricity must be released into the public domain.
* The budget and financing/funding model be released plus a financing plan approved by the Treasury.
* The economic impacts of the nuclear programme be made public.
* The environmental impact assessment for the proposed nuclear reactor must be completed before procurement may begin.
“It is imperative the concerns around the proposed new nuclear investment programme are dealt with instead of only placing key information excerpts into the public domain, while informing the public the remainder cannot be released,” wrote Michael O’Brien Onyeka, Greenpeace Africa executive director, in the letter to the minister.
Greenpeace believes renewable energy is the solution to the country’s electricity crisis.