Scandal Rocks South African Energy Organization

South Africa’s Central Energy Fund (CEF), a government-owned entity promoting and searching for energy solutions for South Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and sub-Saharan Africa, has just had a major blow to its organization. Two senior managers have resigned over allegations of malpractice and news of a forensic audit into the CEF’s business activities.

Manny Singh, head of the fund’s Energy Development Corp., and Deven Pillay, head of the fund’s subsidiary CEF Carbon, have left the organization after allegations of corruption in a whistle-blowing report, according to CEF chairman Busi Mabuza. The chairman said that both had left their positions on their own accord, without hinting toward any controversial reason.

However, South African newspaper The Times reported that Singh was chairman of the Darling Wind Farm. The project is the country’s largest public-private renewable energy project, but the 2^nd phase now delayed as a result of a legal standoff between the CEF and the farm’s private investors. This could be a setback for the fund and possibly South Africa’s renewable energy structure forcing further regulation in the sector.

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