Cape Town - Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe says the state was still committed to acquiring Sapref crude oil refinery after it emerged its owners, Shell and BP, wanted to dispose of it.
The provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal had also called for the State to buy the refinery.
Mantashe, who was tabling the budget of his department on Thursday, told Parliament plans were afoot to buy Sapref.
He said this was on government's agenda, and it would be done.
He said he hoped the discussions would go well for the purchase of Sapref.
“Refining capacity is being saved. I can report here, I don’t know what will be the end result, that we are already heavily involved in trying to save Sapref as a department. I hope that we will succeed in that because this thing of refining capacity being destroyed and therefore we don’t care is not factual,” he told Parliament.
Mantashe also said they would increase renewal capacity with the launch of bid window 7.
A request for proposal for window bid 6 for 2 600MW has been issued.
This means that this will take the country to 7 800MW when they release bid window 7.
This was part of measures to ensure energy security supply in the country.
Eskom has been under pressure over increased load shedding, with businesses complaining of disruptions.
The issue of energy security supply has been discussed by Parliament and various institutions, with Eskom urged to fix it.
Eskom was this affected by issues of internal sabotage.
Political Bureau