A New State Oil Company? Have your Say

The South African National Petroleum Company Bill [B2–2026] – a copy below

Submissions close 16:00, Friday 10 July 2026.

This is the one window to put your concerns on the record before the Bill moves forward.

Just some reasons why this matters:-

1. You could be paying for it, whether it succeeds or fails. SANPC inherits PetroSA’s history of billions in losses. If projects do not deliver the promised returns, or expensive infrastructure goes underused, the costs may ultimately fall on taxpayers not private investors.

2. Less accountability.
The Minister appoints the board. There’s no binding requirement to publish deals, disclose emissions, or report performance beyond standard SOE rules. That’s the same setup that allowed state capture elsewhere.

3. It commits South Africa to decades more fossil fuel dependence.
The infrastructure created under this Bill could operate for 20–40 years. Although South Africa has committed to a Just Transition, the Bill contains no clear pathway for SANPC to phase out fossil fuels or align with the country’s climate commitments.

4. It puts the state on both sides of the table.
After the Sustaining the Wild Coast judgment highlighted failures in public consultation, this Bill enables SANPC to hold interests in offshore oil and gas projects without clearly setting out what consultation obligations apply when the state is also an investor.

Written submissions must be addressed to:
The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources,
attention: Ms Ayanda Boss,
PO Box 15,
Cape Town,
8000,
e-mailed to sanpc-pcmpr@parliament.gov.za
or faxed to 086 691 4093
and must be received by no later than 16:00 on Friday, 10 July 2026.

Please indicate your interest in making a verbal presentation to the Committee.

Submissions close 16:00, Friday 10 July 2026.