January 05, 2016.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines:

An emerging markets economist says nuclear energy plan will likely fail.

Candidates call for halt in Central African Republic vote count.

And, Eskom denies any secrecy around Zimbabwean power deal.

South Africa will likely fail in its quest to develop its nuclear energy capacity, according to emerging markets economist Peter Attard Montalto of Nomura.

Montalto told a news agency that if the 9 600 megawatt nuclear procurement programme does see the light of day, it will be a “slimmed down programme spread over a longer period of time, given the affordability issue”.

The economist said he agreed with energy expert Chris Yelland’s opinion to remain calm after cabinet signed off on a gazette over the Christmas period that allowed the Department of Energy to start the process of calling for quotes.

DoE director general Thabane Zulu confirmed in a statement on December 26 that cabinet received a report back from the Energy Security Cabinet Sub-Committee, which had considered the work being done by both the DoE and Treasury in respect of the funding and financing of the programme.

Two thirds of the 30 candidates standing for president of Central African Republic yesterday demanded the authorities halt the vote count because of what they said were irregularities in the ballot.

Many voters hoped the December 30 poll would restore peace after three years of conflict between Muslim rebels and Christian militias in which thousands of people had died and around 1-million had fled their homes.

The protest by the candidates could mean the final result was contested, but it may be seen by some voters as a last cry by people who see their chances of winning the election slipping away.

A UN peacekeeping mission and French forces are active in the impoverished country whose resources of cotton, gold, diamonds and uranium are under-exploited.

Eskom has confirmed the sale of electricity to Zimbabwe but denied that the power supply agreement with its Zimbabwean counterpart the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) is secret.

Media reports in Zimbabwe had alleged that Eskom had entered into a “secret” deal to sell 300 megawatt of electricity to the neighbouring country, which had been experiencing power shortages lately.

The reports also quoted Zimbabwe Energy and Power Development Ministry Permanent Secretary Partson Mbiriri saying the deal had to be kept under wraps “for security reasons”.

In a statement yesterday, Eskom confirmed the sale of power to Zimbabwe which mentioned that there was no secrecy about the deal.

The power utility said it is part of the Southern African Power Pool where member utilities sell surplus electricity to each other depending on the need.

Also making headlines:

The Democratic Alliance shadow minister of trade and industry blamed Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies and President Jacob Zuma for missing a deadline which could see South Africa kicked out of the lucrative African Growth and Opportunity Act.

And, It’s D-day for the class of 2015, as Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga gets ready to announce the National Senior Certificate examination results at Vodacom World in Midrand, Johannesburg, today.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today