If the government had an atom of sense it would wait

Is the government's plan to procure eight nuclear power reactors - probably from Russia, at a cost to taxpayers of about R1-trillion - cast in stone, or are our leaders prepared to listen to reason?

Comments by President Jacob Zuma and some of his senior officials suggest that the nuclear option is non-negotiable, even if a final procurement deal hasn't yet been signed.

But rating agency Moody's downgrading last week of South Africa's sovereign debt, the sinking rand, rising government debt and the "disquiet" expressed by an important Cosatu affiliate at the prospect of such a hugely costly procurement, should give our political leaders pause for thought.

If it does, the argument of organised business, which has urged the government to postpone its decision on nuclear power and instead put all its energies into solving our immediate electricity-supply problems, might just get a hearing.

According to Business Day, a position paper compiled by Business Unity SA echoes the position taken by the government's own National Development Plan in noting that electricity demand is actually slowing - largely because of faltering economic growth - and future demand is uncertain.

Because the Medupi and Kusile power station megaprojects will come on stream too late to rescue the country from its present power fix, the government should invest in smaller energy projects and step up co-generation initiatives, which involve big industrial companies that generate electricity themselves pumping their excess into the national grid. This makes eminent sense and would take some of the financial strain off the cash-strapped Eskom.

Another proposal by business is to open up the oil and gas sector to private investors. But this would require a fundamental shift in government thinking - the state's proposed ''free carry'' share in investments in the sector, which has been retarding oil and gas exploration, would have to be scrapped.

Zuma would do well to listen to business instead of mortgaging our future to Russia.