- Guided by the theme “Building Energy Security Today”, the summit builds against the backdrop of South Africa’s increasing energy constraints.
- The eThekwini Municipality has outlined its strategic reforms in relation to the declining energy security, recovering from economic devastation caused by the pandemic and floods, the uncertain future of crude oil refineries in the South of Durban which has some major economic impediment to the economy of the city.
- This includes a 940MW nuclear power station located in the city as part of a public-private sector partnership.
- No further details were offered.
eThekwini Municipal Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, announced that in the short term, 100MW solar and 300MW gas power will be procured and is expected to come online in 2025 and 2026 respectiveley. The RFP will be issued at the start of the new financial year which begins in July 2023. “This will create 8000 jobs through a public prIvate partnership model,” said Kaunda.
“In the medium to long term, we are planning to procure an additional 2,600MW of new generation capacity to adequately boost regional transformation in the form of 50MW waste-to-energy, 300MW offshore wind and 940MW of nuclear power in the new financial year (July 2023),” added Kaunda. Kaunda also announced short-term plans to build a new 400MW coal-fired power station.
“The eThekwini Municipality wants to be energy independent by 2035,” he said.
eThekwini Municipality bankability in question
Since 2018, the metro has continued to rack up billions in unauthorised spending. In the fiscal year 2021-2022, the ANC-led eThekwini Municipality racked up a bill of R1.5 billion in irregular expenditure, a significant rise over the preceding three years.
South Africa’s Auditor General recently reported that theThekwini Municipality is riddled with irregular spending, and in a dire financial situation. The irregular expenditure closing balance also indicates that R554 million was written off, with over R3 billion remaining unaccounted for. Read more
Njock Ayuk Eyong gave the keynote address at the eThekwini Municipality Energy Transformation Summit held in Durban earlier this week. Image credit: eThekwini Municipality
Convicted fraudster gives keynote address
South Africa’s energy minister was a no show but convicted fraudster and Cameroon fossil fuel fan, Njock Ayuk Eyong, gave a rousing speech on how wonderful coal, oil, gas, carbon, capture and storage are. Watch the video
In 2007, Ayuk was convicted in the US after pleading guilty to illegally using Rep. Donald Payne’s stationery and signature stamp in a series of attempts to obtain visas to the United States for people from his native country of Cameroon. He was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and expelled from the country. Read more
The Mail & Guardian reported that when confronted by the police for impersonating Payne, Eyong denied his involvement. “He disclaimed his knowledge, pretending to speculate that they [the letters]may have been sent by a friend of his — now dead — who he allowed to visit him at the congressman’s offices.”
Ayuk and his advisory firm, Centurion Law Group, have also been flagged by Ghanaian media. In 2015, The Finder online newspaper wrote that Centurion director Genevive Kabukuor Ocansey was arrested and detained for allegedly aiding a Cameroonian — Eyong — to launder $2.5-million into Ghana and repatriate $1-million to Equatorial Guinea. Read more
Ayuk is also the Executive Chairman at the African Energy Chamber.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
