THE government has committed to constructing 150km of power lines through some of the most volatile parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This will form part of the Grand Inga project to bring hydro-electric power to South Africa.
Officials from the department of energy briefed parliament's portfolio committee on energy on the Grand Inga agreement, which was signed in August.
The officials raised various political and security risks regarding the project, to which SA has already committed $10-million (R110.4-million).
DA MP Gordon Mackay asked that South Africa use its investment to pressure the DRC to improve its appalling human rights record and political volatility in the interests of its people and Africa in general.
Citing the fact that SA and other countries have been trying to stabilise the DRC for many years, the department pointed out that the project was a political risk.
Departmental officials also listed security risks arising from the same concerns, although the very worst affected areas are currently in the northeast of the DRC, about 2000km from Inga.
It warned that it might take very long for all the countries involved in the project (SA, the DRC, Zambia and Zimbabwe) to have the treaty ratified by their respective parliaments.
DA MP Lance Greyling pointed out that money has not been budgeted for the project, and that no real-time deadlines have been set.
The project has the potential to generate 40000 megawatts of electricity, of which SA has provisionally secured 12000 megawatts of relatively cheap, clean energy.
SA has the right of first refusal for use of the power to be generated in return for its investment from phase one of the project.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
SA to build power lines in DR Congo - government plan secures cheap energy
THE government has committed to constructing 150km of power lines through some of the most volatile parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This will form part of the Grand Inga project to bring hydro-electric power to South Africa.
Officials from the department of energy briefed parliament's portfolio committee on energy on the Grand Inga agreement, which was signed in August.
The officials raised various political and security risks regarding the project, to which SA has already committed $10-million (R110.4-million).
DA MP Gordon Mackay asked that South Africa use its investment to pressure the DRC to improve its appalling human rights record and political volatility in the interests of its people and Africa in general.
Citing the fact that SA and other countries have been trying to stabilise the DRC for many years, the department pointed out that the project was a political risk.
Departmental officials also listed security risks arising from the same concerns, although the very worst affected areas are currently in the northeast of the DRC, about 2000km from Inga.
It warned that it might take very long for all the countries involved in the project (SA, the DRC, Zambia and Zimbabwe) to have the treaty ratified by their respective parliaments.
DA MP Lance Greyling pointed out that money has not been budgeted for the project, and that no real-time deadlines have been set.
The project has the potential to generate 40000 megawatts of electricity, of which SA has provisionally secured 12000 megawatts of relatively cheap, clean energy.
SA has the right of first refusal for use of the power to be generated in return for its investment from phase one of the project.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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