The national department of energy is to step into the fray over allegations that the Engen refinery, south of Durban, was threatening to stop operations.
The Malaysian-owned refinery, which is reported to supply about 30 percent of the country’s liquid fuel requirements, allegedly threatened to stop operating after KZN environmental affairs MEC Lydia Johnson, served a legal notice on refinery managers to find ways to stop air pollution and safety problems, and described the refinery as an “immediate danger” to nearby residents.
Details of the alleged threat to pull out emerged in internal documents distributed to Engen officials earlier this week.
Engen has since declared that their shareholders were unequivocal in standing by the refinery’s continued operations.
Engen CEO Nizam Salleh wrote in the internal document that there were attempts to portray the refinery in a bad light and “if this persists, it may well undermine all our efforts to earn the right to operate the refinery”.
The national department of energy was expected to intervene in the province.
“The department will take up the matter with all parties, including Engen and the provincial departments,” said Thandiwe Maimane, national energy department spokeswoman.
She was unable to comment further as there was no official correspondence between the departments as yet, she said this week. - Independent on Saturday