Karpowership.com
The National Department of Transport has moved to set the record straight on the approval of an application to grant Karpowership access to the three ports for a period of 20 years.
These ports are Ngqura in the Eastern Cape, Durban, and Saldanha Bay.
Department spokesperson, Collen Msibi, said the Transport Minister, Sindisiwe Chikunga, considered the application in terms of National Ports Act Section 79 (1) (a) and (b) to safeguard the national security of the Country and to discharge the international obligations of the Republic.
He said the Minister had also consulted with the Transnet National Ports Authority supported the approval of the application and was “given the latitude to make necessary decisions to implementing this directive.”
Msibi said the application was approved, with conditions, by the Transport Minister in February.
He said as a result, the following conditions were attached to the approval:
Meanwhile, the environmental group, Green Connection said the environmental approvals for this project have previously failed, while the generation licenses are under review.
Spokesperson, Liz McDaid, said when examining the fine print, the decision by the Department of Transport is not a decision to go ahead, but simply to say that they're providing all the necessary approvals to enable the vessels to moor at the ports.
She says that given the timeframes for the Turkiship power company to set up, she does not believe they are coming here any time soon.
"From the time they get approvals they still need 12 months. Karpower is not what we need in South Africa, what we need is a short-term, South African generation that can contribute to the grid very speedily.
There has been a backlash to the granting of licenses to Karpowership, with lobby group Outa going to court saying that the deal was “premature” and lacked “transparency.”
The organisation said that the 20-year deal to provide 1 220 MW could cost up to R218 billion.
