CAPE TOWN, June 22 (Xinhua) -- South African President Jacob Zuma vowed on Thursday to continue the controversial nuclear program despite a court ruling against it.
The government is intent on pursuing the nuclear program as nuclear energy is the cleanest and most reliable form in the energy mix, Zuma said while answering questions in Parliament.
"The nuclear program is an investment into South African energy security," Zuma noted.
The nuclear program is informed by the nuclear policy of 2008, the president said.
He denied that South Africa has reached behind-the-door agreements with bidding countries.
There have been reports that South Africa and Russia have reached an agreement, under which the latter will help the former build nuclear reactors.
"There are no pre-agreements," Zuma said, adding that countries with nuclear technology must bid to win government contracts.
When asked about whether any member of his family received payment from the Russians in a nuclear deal, Zuma said he knew nothing about any transaction involving any member of his family in a nuclear deal.
Last year, the South African cabinet approved a 9,600 MW nuclear procurement program to augment its erratic power supply.
Several countries, including Russia, China, France and South Korea, are positioning themselves for winning the South African bid for the program, which could cost as much as 1 trillion rand (about 70 billion U.S. dollars).
The government has been pursuing the nuclear program to make up power shortage. However, the High Court in the Western Cape ruled in April this year that the government's nuclear deal is "unconstitutional and unlawful." The court ordered the government to set aside the deal which is "unaffordable".
