MINISTRY OF ENERGY
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY QUESTION 182
Mr S. J. Njikelana (ANC) to ask the Minister of Energy:
(1) What are the details of the (a) Governmentâs efforts to secure
alternative sources of oil and (b) electricity roll-out programme
through the concessionairesâ strategy;
(2) whether her department intends to proceed with the Basa njengo Magogo
project; if not, why not; if so, in what manner? NW187E
Response:
1) (a) The Department has held bilateral engagements with (potential) oil
producing countries other than those in the Middle East in a bid to,
among other objectives; pave a way for alternative sourcing of crude
oil. Among such countries are Venezuela, Equatorial Guinea, Angola
and Ghana. The national oil and gas company, PetroSA, is the one that
would source/procure crude oil on behalf of the State. However,
PetroSA does not currently have a crude oil refinery. PetroSA is
currently developing its Mthombo Project, which entails a large scale
crude oil refinery. For this project, PetroSA is also exploring
alternative sources of crude oil.
2) Yes, the Department intends to proceed with the Basa njengoMagogo
(BnM) Programme. Due to the nature of the project, the Minister
directed CEF (SOC) Limited to undertake the BnM Roll-out Programme on
behalf of the Department. The Department will play an oversight role,
assisting CEF in promoting, coordinating and managing the BnM Roll-out
Programme. The Department, with the cooperation of the Department of
Environmental Affairsâ (DEA) Clean Fires Campaign Programme, is also
encouraging other third parties to promote BnM projects.