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Project appeals will take time Moosa

Posted On Friday, 13 February 2004 02:00 Published by
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CAPE TOWN Environment Minister Valli Moosa says evaluating appeals he has received against the construction of a prototype Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) in Western Cape and a new toll road along the Wild Coast will take time.

The two projects drew widespread opposition because of environmental concern.

Briefing the media in Parliament yesterday, Moosa said he had received a number of appeals against both projects. "You will understand they are rather involved and complicated matters to attend to," he said, when asked by reporters when a decision could be expected.

"I can assure you that the appeals I have received are voluminous, detailed, technical, and not the sort I could, in the course of one afternoon, just dispose of," he said. "These will take time. I will need to give proper attention to them."

The PBMR project involves construction of a revolutionary mini nuclear reactor at Koeberg, near Cape Town, and an associated fuel plant at Pelindaba, near Pretoria.

The N2 toll road project, which is being fiercely opposed by green organisations, will see 80km stretch of road running through the centre of a global botanic hotspot.

Responding to a question on what was happening with the possible granting of mining rights to extract heavy metals from dune sands along Eastern Cape's Pondoland coast, Moosa said this was in the hands of the minerals and energy department.

He had received an assurance from Minerals and Energy Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka that she would not proceed with the matter "without consulting me".

An Australian mining company is reported to be seeking permission to extract titanium minerals from the dunes.

Sapa Feb 13 2004 07:21:06:000AM Business Day 1st Edition


Publisher: Business Day
Source: Business Day
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