16 May 2025 - Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - There is still no official verdict on the future of the Gas-to-Power Plant project.
The DA’s announcement last week that the deal has been halted pending full public consultation and legal compliance was met with confusion from Urban Blue International Development (UBID).
Chantel Bothma on behalf of UBID CEO Jing Sun said that Matlosana Executive Mayor Fikile Mahlophe “personally refuted this as a lie’’.
“Senior North West Provincial ANC and EFF leaders corroborated that the Council had actually resolved to proceed with the deal,’’ she said in response to the DA Caucus’ announcement that it was halted at the Special Council Meeting on May 6.
Apparently the Mayor submitted an item requesting approval for the project to be transferred to the municipality. He also proposed entering into a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with UBID.
According to Cllr Gerhard Strydom council members learned of the proposed project through newspapers and said it was not “fully explained in detail” to the Council. “The DA could not support this proposal due to several unanswered questions about the company involved and the municipality’s non-compliance with prescriptive legislation. Section 120 requires, among other things, a public consultation process before any PPP may be considered by Council. Following the DA’s intervention, the item was subsequently withdrawn for further investigation,’’ Cllr Strydom said.
UBID is now expressing confusion over what it calls “unsubstantiated agitation propaganda” intended to discredit them. Bothma said UBID was invited by the North West Premier to explore investment opportunities in the province.
“We entered into a Memorandum of Intent with the North West Development Corporation and subsequently a PPP with the Matlosana Municipality for an energy project, despite a lack of relevant documentation from the municipality.’’
She said the company was surprised by a “premature announcement’’ of the project in April by provincial and local governments, because of outstanding “governance issues”.
This announcement led to several media reports questioning UBID’s legitimacy. “We appreciate the investment opportunity but observes a need for clarity on the partnership structure and the Council’s recent resolutions. We have not received any funds from any South African government body and has a strict policy against funding inappropriate requests. With US$378 million in committed funding, UBID urges a swift and definitive decision from the Council to enable the project’s progress.
“We are ready to proceed responsibly and transparently and call on media to prioritize facts,’’ Bothma said.
Despite these conflicting accounts and the significant investment involved, UBID confirmed it has received no official communication from the Municipal Manager regarding the Council’s decision taken on May 6.
“UBID is willing and able to deliver energy solutions, but we cannot move until such time as we have instructions informed by contracts compliant with legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures... and we cannot determine this compliance - the politicians must create this compliant environment.
“Therefore, we wrote the MM for clarity. She has a busy schedule, and we are still awaiting her response.’’
