Verlede jaar het die VF Plus onder die Minister se aandag gebring dat Suid-Afrika 'n energiekrisis in die gesig staar. Vandag is dit nog steeds die geval met, onder andere, Eskom wat gereeld vir die gebruiker vra om asseblief nie so baie krag te gebruik nie. Dit maak Eskom seker een van die enigste maatskappye in die wreld wat vir hul kliente vra om minder van hul eie produkte te koop. Eskom kan natuurlik argumenteer dat dit nie 'n gewone kommersile firma is nie. Natuurlik sou die argument korrek wees, want Eskom is inderdaad 'n nutsmaatskappy. Dit los ons egter met meer vrae as antwoorde, want Eskom is dit eens dat hy wel winste mag maak en hom soos 'n gewone maatskappy mag gedra. Dit is egter in die openbare belang dat agb Minister Peters met die Minister van Openbare Ondernemings skakel om te verseker dat Eskom nie vir sy eie sak optree nie, maar wel in die openbare belang van Suid-Afrika se inwoners. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Adv A D ALBERTS: Last year the FF Plus brought to the Minister's attention the fact that South Africa is facing an energy crisis. This is still the case today with, amongst others, Eskom regularly asking the consumer please not to use so much electricity. This surely makes Eskom one of the few companies in the world that ask their clients to buy less of their own products.
Of course, Eskom could argue that it is not an ordinary commercial firm. That argument would be correct, of course, because Eskom is indeed a utility company. However, this leaves us with more questions than answers, because Eskom is in agreement that it may make a profit and may conduct itself like an ordinary company. It is, however, of public concern that hon Minister Peters contact the Minister of Public Enterprises to ensure that Eskom does not act in order to line its own pockets, but does indeed act in the public interest of South Africa's citizens.]
We also need to look at the Integrated Resource Plan, IRP, 2010. Much has changed since its inception. It is of great concern that its proposed nuclear build programme, as part of the 20-year energy plan, is being questioned by the National Planning Commission, NPC. I am sure that the Minister has read the University of Cape Town's Energy Research Centre's study commissioned by the NPC, which explains that a nuclear build programme is not necessary for the next 15 to 25 years. The study indicates that the IRP 2010 makes incorrect future demand projections and is underestimating the costs of the nuclear build project. Once again one gets the impression that the government wishes to embark on a public expenditure programme purely for the sake of ensuring access to state funds, as was the case with the redundant e-toll system in Gauteng.
Therefore, we wish to know whether the Minister is going to engage with the NPC regarding the necessity of the nuclear build programme. Will the Minister ensure that the IRP 2010 is renewed before any decisions are made on nuclear energy?
Sover dit die koste van die kernkragprogram aangaan, is sommige kommentators bekommerd dat die uitgawe die Tesourie kan knak. Gegewe ander eise op die staat, soos die R85 miljard pensioenaris-eis teen Transnet ... [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[As far as the costs of the nuclear power programme are concerned, some of the commentators are worried that the expenditure may cripple the Treasury. Given the other demands on the state, such as the R85 billion pensioners' claim against Transnet ... [Interjections.]]