AS WE said in an editorial the other day, Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan is on a hiding to nothing. It is hard to think of a single decision she might make or not make that would satisfy everyone, even in her own Cabinet. The way she gets out of that bind is just to make decisions, as best as she can. Indecision is the enemy of this particular government. We had never, in all my time as editor of Business Day, ever written an editorial suggesting someone resign. The one about her came closest. We said she should consider her position after the Eskom cock-up.

It is of course a ridiculous position to write yourself into (which is why we never do it) because if your target doesn’t resign well, then, there’s nothing more to say. I won’t do it again, not to anyone. I’m glad she’s still there. She’s obviously a sensible person with a nightmare for a job.

There is, I am happy to remind her, one problem Hogan can see from far away and, now, begin to do something about. It is the R8bn the state has already sunk into the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor company (PBMR). Under Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s medium term budget, no money was made available to PBMR for next year and, in a few months’ time, it will be crunch time for this little South African technological jewel.

It means that the PBMR could, within about a year, be forced to lay off many of the smartest technicians SA has ever had. We surely cannot afford to lose them.  The pebble bed nuclear reactor is an international energy source for the future and they would easily get work overseas. In fact, because it is safer and produces higher temperatures (and, thus, more efficient energy), it’s only client today is the US Department of Energy, which sees in it a way to split water molecules and, thus, to make hydrogen cleanly.

Hogan has to decide what is best for the country. That has to be a combination of things. We must keep some form of ownership over this technology. And we must hold on to the skills in technology, engineering, fuel and procurement that have built PBMR. If ever there were an investment that someone like Julius Malema should want to nationalise, it is this. Like I say, the pebble bed is the future, not the past.

PBMR either needs to find new shareholders or the State needs to fund it. Or a bit of both. If nothing else it has a future as a nuclear design authority, capable of licensing nuclear power plants anywhere, of which there are only a handful in the world.

……………………………………………..

I AM sure the Soccer World Cup is going to do this country a power of good, but I have never had much regard for Fifa, it’s owner. They have always seemed to me to be smug, sanctimonious and greedy. Fifa’s silence after Thierry Henry handled the ball to set up the goal that got France into the World Cup last week doesn’t surprise me at all. They’d obviously rather have the French in SA next year than Ireland. More money, non?

But integrity has to count for something, otherwise why not let soccer players dope themselves up before a game? If a TV replay can’t change anything why should a drug test? It’ll be nice to see the back of Fifa, even more so if France has to cheat again to win the World Cup final at Soccer City. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of people.

……………………………………………

WATCHING England destroy the Proteas yesterday it was hard to not to wonder at our inability to put pressure on our opponents. Do we have no character? Our batsmen gave their wickets away and our bowlers were simply no trouble at all. What happened to all the bluster? Where was Van der Merwe’s ‘new’ arm ball? Can he actually turn any ball? If not on that pitch, then on what? Langeveldt should retire again this morning. He was awful. Fact is we are, by and large, tactically thick, technically ordinary and dependent on others to make us look good when they fail.

Cheers

Popularity: 18% [?]