Earthlife Africa Cape Town (ELA CT) is pleased to announce that it has moved a step closer to victory in its court case against Eskom for access to board minutes pertaining to the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor. The case was brought before the Supreme Court of Appeal on Thursday 6 September. The court has ordered that all information be made available for independent assessment by a referee who will then make recommendations to the court about the disclosure of information.
In 2005 ELA CT launched an application for access to Eskom Board Minutes pertaining to the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR). ELA CT is represented by the Open Democracy Advice Centre in this matter. The application is filed using the Promotion of Access to Information Act. It was hoped that these documents would provide Eskom’s rationale for failing to supply adequate information on the health impacts and economics of the PBMR. The PBMR project, a highly controversial project, has long been plagued by problems and secrecy. It is important that ELA gains access to Eskom’s relevant Board minutes before the EIA of the PBMR is completed.
The National Environmental Management Act (ch5) requires that an EIA take full account of the expected environmental, social and economic impacts of a project. It is believed by ELA CT that such information is essential for South African taxpayers to have when R16 billion will be spent on this project.