Come to the party, Gwede Mantashe tells NUM

As the debate of “just transition” in the energy sector has begun to grip the country, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe on Thursday said the discussion was not about a move away from coal, “but transition from high to low carbon emissions”.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has expressed apprehension on the process to be followed by South Africa in moving away from fossil fuel energy generation to greener, cleaner and low-carbon emissions.

“Have a picture of our skyline when travelling from Belfast to Delmas and the challenge we are facing as a country,” said Mantashe. “Transition is not about numbers but about people and communities – not creating a ghost town, but a vibrant economy in the absence of coal mining.”

Advocating for the repurposing of coal generating power stations in Mpumalanga to gas – Mantashe said training workers to work in gas-powered plants and investing in the gas pipeline from South Africa to Mozambique – was a trend to be followed in the future.

He urged NUM to be “a participant and no spectator in the debate”.

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In its discussion paper, Just Transition and the Energy Sector, at NUM’s 17th national congress, the union expressed concern about the decommissioning of coal mines on the livelihood of workers, should there be a migration from fossil energy to low-carbon generation.

Informed by the International Labour Organisation Decent Work Agenda perspective in its proposals on just transition, NUM has come up with proposals, which included:

• Social dialogue: a process of various social partners coming together and negotiating certain policy agreements in the best interest of those they represent.
• Employment protection and creation: one of the most important concerns of organised labour, ensuring jobs for those who are working.

“Some stakeholders have reduced the concept of just energy transition to immediate cease of use of fossil energy sources – specifically coal and replacing them with renewable energy sources,” said the paper.

“This agitation is made with minimal consideration of the opportunity cost and socioeconomic ramification to the country.

“As a developing country, South Africa is confronted with the dilemma of achieving energy security, saving jobs and adhering to global agreements on transitioning to clean energy generation that limits CO2 emissions.

“However, phasing out coal will be a costly process, including the loss of jobs – making redundant the massive infrastructure which supports coal electricity.”