It says the National Council of Provinces' Select Committee on Economic Development urged Treasury and the Cabinet to expedite the planning of the new refinery as it will resolve the potential fuel shortages and create a number of jobs in the Eastern Cape where unemployment levels are high.
Currently South Africa imports about 7% of its refined fuel and will face a shortage of about 180 000 barrels of petrol and diesel a day by 2020.
Business Day's article says that the country will have to import about 8,5 billion litres of fuel a year by 2015. The Mthombo refinery is expected to create about 27 500 temporary jobs during its construction period and a further 18 500 direct and indirect jobs once its operating.
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