ENERGY MINISTER: DECISION ON SA'S NUCLEAR FUTURE TO BE TAKEN IN 3 MONTHS

MOSCOW– Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says a decision on South Africa's nuclear future will be taken in the next three months.

She spoke to Eyewitness News at the Atom Expo currently underway in Moscow.

A new nuclear build programme, which is set to provide 9,600 megawatts of power by 2030 was halted by the Constitutional Court earlier this year. It found certain aspects of the proposed project to be invalid.

Rumours of a secret deal being signed with the Russian state-owned entity have also been swirling a claim both government and Rosatom have denied on a number of occasions.

As a courtesy to her counterparts, Minister Kubayi says she has either met with or sent requests to meet with the countries which have shown interest in South-Africa's nuclear plans.

“Firstly to give the South African context, that we are in a country that operates under the Constitution and explain what the court judgment means to our work and why we took the decision to review all of them.”

She says America has also placed the process on hold.

“Because they are pulling out of climate change so they are reviewing quite a lot of work that affects us, and they said we must wait until they finalise the process.”

Kubayi has warned the country's internal disputes should be resolved without tarnishing the reputation of other countries like Russia to safeguard trade relations