Public barred from PetroSA meeting

The public was barred from a Parliamentary meeting meant to discuss PetroSA’s R14.5bn impairment.

PARLIAMENT - Journalists and members of the public were on Tuesday blocked from attending a meeting of Parliament's portfolio committee on energy.

This was as a forensic report into the multi-billion rand loss incurred by South Africa's state-owned oil company, PetroSA, was being tabled and discussed.

Committee chairman Fikile Majole sent journalists, members of the public, PetroSA and government officials, as well as committee staff, packing after announcing that the MPs would be getting a legal opinion on whether the meeting would be closed.

After more than an hour, the meeting was closed and continued.

Read also: Report into PetroSA’s R14bn loss under lock and key

MPs were expected to discuss the R14.5 billion impairment suffered by the embattled state entity, which was largely due to offshore drilling operations which did not yield the gas expected to keep its Mossgas plant going.

The parliamentary committee list did not indicate the meeting was closed.

It also indicated Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson would be present, but she did not pitch for the meeting.

AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY

Look out for Siyabonga Mkhwanazi's column on this intriguing situation in tomorrow's Business Report.