DA to PAIA secretive “plan” to fix the energy crisis 

11 August 2015

The perpetual secrecy surrounding the steps to solve our energy crisis continued this morning as the Minister of Energy, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, appeared before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Energy and tabled a “classified as secret” document that will apparently solve South Africa’s energy crisis.

The document was introduced as government’s so-called 5 point plan to solve our energy crisis. However this document, like everything else related to Minister Joemat-Pettersson, is secretive and classified, and cannot be viewed by the public. 

The Minister went to great lengths to ensure secrecy when she unilaterally attempted to turn what is an open parliamentary committee into a secret chamber in which neither the media nor members of the public could remain. I then attempted to persuade the Minister to declassify the report she has classified – which she outright refused. 

The DA is of the strong belief that South Africans need to be adequately informed as to government’s plans to solve our energy crisis, which continues kill our economy and shed jobs at an alarming rate. The secrecy around energy security in South Africa cannot continue any longer

I will therefore today submit an application, in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), to gain access to this full document. 

It is unheard of that Minister can appear unannounced before a committee and present a document classified as secret, in effect turning committee into a media lockdown.

The DA will thus also be seeking an urgent explanation from the both the Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, and Leader of Government Business, Cyril Ramaphosa, on what basis and following which procedure this document was labelled “classified as secret”. I will write to both in this regard.

It is somewhat bizarre that the Minister has a “plan” to fix the energy crisis, yet is determined to keep it secret and out of the public domain. This secrecy only serves to further entrench the widely held public opinion that the Nuclear Build Programme, South Africa’s largest-ever procurement deal, is tainted with secrecy and unfolding behind closed doors.

It seems Minister Joemat-Pettersson has selective amnesia when it comes to the constitutional values which our democracy was founded upon, which include accountability, responsiveness and openness. 

The DA believes that any action taken by government ought to be conducted in an honest and transparent manner. For this to happen, access to this document is vitally important and must be granted. 

Statement issued by Pieter van Dalen MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Energy, August 11 2015