It makes me sick how the politicians think everyone is stupid and haven't worked out the games they are playing. It was announced this week that the bank loan from the Chinese will go ahead as part of the project to build a new coal power station in the Musina-Makhado special economic zone. What is special about this zone is the abundance of coal but it is on privately owned farms. This was the smoke and mirrors of the land grab issue. Certain farms will be taken but I have a feeling payment will be made for these ones. They haven't been able to keep it quiet and we are learning the reason behind the reason now. I had no hard feelings towards the Chinese but I really detest them now on how they do business. I find their policies are unethical and underhanded.
Green Peace is now worried as countries that signed the Paris agreement with a promise of reducing carbon emissions seems to be a distant memory. This was not part of the energy budget released earlier in the year and seems to be part of a bigger plan. It only emerged after President Rhamophosa returned from China last month. It must have been on the table for some time and not a new venture as testing had already been done on the selected farms with drill tests.
This must have been on the cards under Zuma and he is just following along with the master plan. This government and the previous one look as though they are both good at wasting public money. To then come up with a plan using land expropriation as a cover to give the Chinese the coal they need at no cost or close to nothing it seems. The Chinese are lending them the money but the Chinese are building it for their own benefit so where is the logic in this?
We all know that there is going to be steel manufacturing and a cement factory in this economic zone, but they are Chinese companies. If we have to dig deeper the only benefit could be kick backs for a certain few and maybe some shares. The whole deal doesn't make economic sense as it will disrupt South African steel manufacturing companies. How will they compete when these Chinese firms get a preferential electricity rate that others wont.
I detest politicians at the best of times but this lot are rotten to the core and the sooner everyone wakes up and kicks them out the better.
