29 June 2016
Media release
WORLEYPARSONS - MORE EVIDENCE OF ROSATOM NUCLEAR SCANDAL
EARTHLIFE AFRICA JOHANNESBURG TO PROTEST
Earthlife Africa Johannesburg will picket outside the WorleyParsons South African head office tomorrow, on the 30th of June 2016. The offices are located at the corner of Dallas and Aramist Avenues in Menlyn, Pretoria. The picket will take place from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
WorleyParsons has a close working relationship with Russian nuclear vendor Rosatom. Rosatom is in the running to build the scandalous South African new 9600 MW nuclear fleet- estimated to cost the South African tax payer over R 1 trillion.
Earthlife Africa Johannesburg condemns the Department of Energy for appointing a company tainted in the world’s biggest oil and gas industry corruption scandal, Unaoil bribes-for-contracts. WorleyParsons, an engineering consulting company, has also attempted to procure a project in the Coega Refinery through shipping tycoon Tony Georgiades, also implicated in the Arms Deal disgrace.
Yesterday’s business Day points to the close association of Rosatom with WorleyParsons in no fewer than six country’s nuclear deals. “the department of Energy cannot begin to claim transparency and fair dealings while at the same time appointing a company so closely associated with one of the bidders” said SAFCEI spokesperson, Liz McDaid, “this unethical behaviour appears to further substantiate our claims that the Russia deal is done and dusted, and the South African people are expected to just suck it up”
Sysman Motloung, Energy Policy Officer at Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, states, “WorleyParsons’ involvement in the build nuclear procurement is essentially a precursor to a humiliation similar to SADTU’s jobs-for-cash corruption scandal. Evidence from around the world shows that where WorleyParsons is Rosatom is also.”
The relationship between the Department of Energy and WorlyParsons lends further weight to the claims that Earthlife Africa/SAFCEI make in their court case which is attempting to hold the Department of Energy responsible for its alleged unlawful and biased nuclear dealings.
Earthlife Africa Johannesburg demands that the Department of Energy:
References:
http://www.theage.com.au/interactive/2016/the-bribe-factory/players/players.html
http://www.smh.com.au/national/unaoil-scandal-draws-in-worleyparsons-peter-gregg-20160330-gnuqas.html
http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/energy/2016/06/28/russian-linked-consultancy-among-advisers-on-nuclear-build
http://www.theage.com.au/interactive/2016/the-bribe-factory/day-3/africa.html
Ends.
ISSUED BY EARTHLIFE AFRICA JOHANNESBURG and the SOUTHERN AFRICAN FAITH ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTION (SAFCEI) 29 June 2016
For further information, please contact:
At Earthlife Africa Johannesburg:
Sysman Motloung
Energy policy officer
Email: Sysman@earthlife.org.za
Cell: 073781708
At SAFCEI
Liz McDaid (SAFCEI)
Email: liziwe@mweb.co.za
Cell: 0827315643
Note for journalists:
On the 12th of October 2015, Earthlife Africa Jhb (ELA Jhb) and the Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI) launched legal proceedings in the Cape Town High Court on South Africa's planned procurement of 9600MW. Our founding legal papers have been served on the following respondents: The Minister of Energy, the President of South Africa, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), the Speaker of National Assembly and the Speaker of the National Council of Provinces.
Our founding affidavit can be downloaded at: http://earthlife.org.za/2015/10/in-the-high-court-of-south-africa-western-cape-division-cape-town-3/ and on http://safcei.org/latest-update-on-our-nuclear-court-action/ .
Our legal case revolves around government's decision to proceed with procuring nuclear power plants (a nuclear fleet of between 6 to 8 new nuclear reactors), and any intention to conclude such procurement in the next few months, is occurring without any of the necessary statutory and constitutional decisions. In brief, ELA-Jhb and SAFCEI are challenging the legality and constitutionality of:
The court action has already received considerable media attention in South Africa and will continue to do so. Large scale demonstration in Johannesburg/Pretoria have been matched by weekly anti-nuclear demonstrations in Cape Town.
SAFCEI Earthlife Africa Johannesburg
www.safcei.org www.earthlife.org.za
Lawyers representing ELA-JHB and SAFCEI are Adrian Pole and Associates, advised by the Legal Resource Centre.
SAFCEI (Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute) is a multi-faith organisation committed to supporting faith leaders and their communities in Southern Africa to increase awareness, understanding and action on eco-justice, sustainable living and climate change.
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