CEF's Sapref refinery purchase raises clean-up concern

South Africa’s purchase of the nation’s largest refinery from Shell and BP for a symbolic R1 will transfer the environmental liability of the site to the government, according to a local advocacy group. The state-owned Central Energy Fund, which manages South African energy assets, agreed to buy the 180 000-barrel-a-day Sapref plant, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said on Saturday. The asset will support the CEF’s growth strategy following the decline of local refining capacity, according to the department.