'Russian minerals minister didn't visit Mahlobo for nuclear deal'

CAPE TOWN - The ministry of energy refutes comments by Floyd Shivambu that the Minister of Mineral Resources and Environment, Sergy Donskoy from Russia was visiting SA's Minister of Energy, David Mahlobo to discuss nuclear deal.

In a statement, the department said that Donskoy was in SA for the Mining Indaba and then paid a courtesy visit to Mahlobo to strengthen relations between the two countries, as both countries are members of BRICS.

The department said the meeting which was held in Cape Town was also a follow up on the progress of technical teams in both countries since the signing of bilateral agreement.

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Mahlobo's appointment by president Jacob Zuma to become the minister of energy was believed to be one of Zuma's tactics to fast-track the nuclear deal with Russia before his term comes to an end.

While addressing a seminar in Russia in October 2017, the South African Ambassador to Russia, Nomasonto Sibanda-Thusi said the South African government is committed to strengthening bilateral economic relations with Russia through increasing trade and investment between the two countries.

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Select 20 South African business companies were in Moscow, Russia last year for the 2017 World Food Moscow International Food Exhibition on 11 to 14 September 2017.

Sibanda-Thusi said, "Russian companies have also shown confidence in the South African economy and have invested in a total of 17 FDI projects representing a capital investment of R6 billion and created more than 1 400 jobs. These projects are within the financial services, aerospace, transportation, coal oil and gas, and information and communication technology sectors".