Mining Weekly reports that Energy Minister Jeff Radebe has urged business to support government in ensuring that SA’s energy transition was a “just” one for labour, especially those operating in the coal-mining sector.  

In an engagement on Friday with business leaders, following a meeting of the energy ministers from the Brics bloc the day before, Radebe said a collaborative effort was required to ensure that labour was not “left behind”.  A Cabinet-approved draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is due to be released “soon” for public comment ahead of final promulgation in August.  The plan is expected to include higher levels of private participation in power generation, as well as to enlarge the role of both renewable energy and natural gas in SA’s electricity mix.  However, Radebe argued that, besides articulating a clear vision for the country’s energy transition, the social partners needed to clearly define the roles that should be played by government, business and labour and communities in the transition.  “For the energy transition to be just, we must also ensure that we do not leave labour behind,” Radebe stressed.

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