The Justice and Peace office of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference released the statement below a few days' ago on the cabinet decision to proceed with the nuclear procurement.
"The
Justice and Peace Commission for the Southern African Catholic
Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) called on government on Tuesday to
suspend its nuclear procurement plans and hold a referendum on the
issue as a matter of urgency.
The
commission said in a statement that the economic and safety risks of
the nuclear option outweigh its economic benefits.
The
Department of Energy (DoE) on Saturday formally announced cabinet’s
decision to go ahead with the procurement of nuclear energy. A
government gazette released on December 21 also approved the next
step, which will allow the department to call for quotes for the 9
600 MW new build project.
Government
should concentrate its efforts and fiscal resources on renewable
energy, according to the SACBC body.
The
commission raised concerns about the affordability of the procurement
in the context of the current financial crisis, as well as its
vulnerability to high level corruption similar to the arms deal
scandal.
The
commission said the DoE and Treasury have yet to produce convincing
evidence to show that nuclear procurement is affordable to the
country and its consumers.
The
nuclear procurement will be one of the most expensive procurement as
yet by the government. The commission has warned that the
procurement has the potential of committing the country to a
surmountable public debt without equivalent economic returns, as well
as a threat to the country’s sovereign control over its energy
security, that will impose huge burdens to the current and future
generation.
Other
than the affordability risk, the commission also pointed to the
safety risks and the threat to human life that are often
under-emphasized in the government narrative on the procurement.
“Although
the probability of a nuclear accident is relatively low, the
consequences of such an accident cause health hazards for thousands
of people and render hundreds of kilometres of land uninhabitable and
unsuitable for any use for decades,” said Bishop Abel Gabuza,
chairperson of Justice and Peace Commission.
“Considering
the enormity of the damage when an accident occurs, the dangers of
nuclear energy to human life will always remain very high,” he
said.
“The
commission has therefore appealed to the government to urgently call
for a nuclear referendum.”
“Given
the enormity of the risks that the South African government is asking
its citizens to bear through the nuclear option, including the
enormous safety risks and economic risks, it is only fair that the
government directly consults its people on the matter,” said Bishop
Gabuza. “A referendum is the best instrument for realising the
common good on this important matter.”
The
commission explained that in June 2011, the Italian government
conducted a similar referendum to poll its citizens on its plans to
generate 25% of the country's electricity from nuclear power by 2030.
The referendum rejected government plans for nuclear procurement.
“If
our government truly believes that its nuclear decision is serving
the best interests of the majority of South Africans, it should not
be afraid to emulate the Italian example and open up the matter to a
national referendum before the formal bidding process commences,”
added Bishop Gabuza.
For
further information or interviews please contact:
Bishop
Abel Gabuza
Chairperson
of the Justice and Peace Commission for the Southern African Catholic
Bishops’ Conference,
Tel.
053 831 1861 or 053 831 1862. Email:
dagabuza@gmail.com
Website:
http://sacbcjusticeandpeace.org/
