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Shaky ground: the social foundation of industrial experience has been undermined by systemic inequality,
inadequate investment in vocational education and poor alignment between education, skills development
and industry demands. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

A focus on one faltering building block

The country presents a clear illustration of how a weak social foundation constrains industrial development and reinforces structural inefficiencies but we can change that

The Darling Wind Farm in the Western Cape. Alternative sources of energy is increasingly being used. Photo: David Harrison

Why partnerships will power South African green energy transition

South Africa was forced into the energy transition by the electricity crisis, sparking a wave of private investment in renewables

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola (left) and Minister of Trade Parks Tau (right) during a briefing on Monday. (DIRCO)

South Africa seeks new export markets as US tariff looms

While the government negotiates a mutually beneficial deal with the US, it says it is making plans to diversify its export marke

South Africa’s digital economy is being undermined by local beneficiation for copper, which has become an essential mineral in the age of artificial intelligence — from data centres, electricity cables and battery storage. (Flickr)

Copper will determine South Africa’s digital economy success

The economy is expected to create a jobs boom if the country can fix its electricity grid and meet the increasing demand for local copper beneficiation

Extraction: Among the green minerals is copper, which is mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, South Africa and Namibia. Photo: Getty Images

Decolonise the mind to power a green future

Green industrialisation in Africa is needed for the climate crisis and for a just development path

Windy deals: A member of the Uncedo Lwethu family trust points to the wind turbines on the Wesley-Ciskei Wind Farm
Video

Whose land, whose power? South Africa’s renewable energy conundrum

Wind farms feed power into the national grid, but the stories behind the land deals are rarely told. Tunicia Phillips investigates a case study in the Eastern Cape

The mining industry has the potential to grow if there is more investment in exploration projects. (Michele Spatari/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Confluence of geopolitics, energy and trade can drive change in Africa’s mining industry

The theme of the February 2025 Mining Indaba, Futureproofing Mining Today, underscores the urgency of aligning policy, investment and local development to secure sustainable growth

Cop29 conference participants are reflected in a puddle as they arrive on day nine at the UNFCCC COP29 Climate Conference on November 20, 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

How much does public transport save on carbon emissions? We worked it out at COP29

Bhekisisa had a team of four reporters at the climate conference. On average, our journalists walked eight to nine kilometres a day

An electric motorcycle, designed and built in Africa and powered by the sun, began its 6000km journey from Nairobi in Kenya to Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, on Sunday. (Supplied)

From Kenya to South Africa: A solar-powered electric motorcycle adventure

The expedition is about showing African ingenuity, says the team

The cooling market in developing economies is expected to grow from around $300 billion to at least $600 billion per year, by 2050 (AFP via Getty Images)

Africa faces urgent need for sustainable cooling as temperatures soar

Around 3.5 billion people live in hot climates, but only 15% have access to cooling, mainly through air conditioning

The Ethical Agency recognised as green website hosting company

All of its services are powered by renewable energy sources

File photo by Rodger Bosch / AFP

Africa’s climate ambitions: Too little, too late?

Despite its abundant natural resources, Africa receives a mere 3% of global energy investments

Pascaline Mazibuko: ‘We have been lobbying, and will continue to lobby our people to say, reject this transition. It is not going to work for us.’ Photo: Ashraf Hendricks
Video

SA’s coal lobby pushes back against green transition

Coal lobbying has long been an influential force in South Africa’s politics and economy

The energy transition itself carries human rights risks. If clean energy is built on compromised rights, it will not be sustainable in the long term. Photo: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Green energy: Three key issues to ensure South Africa’s transition does not deepen inequality

These include retraining workers who face retrenchment and developing supply chains that give opportunities to small, micro and medium enterprises

While coal producers stand to benefit from stronger prices and export demand, researchers warn that increased coal production and exports carry significant environmental and social costs, from greenhouse gas emissions to the impacts borne by communities living near mines and coal-fired power stations.
 (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Have coal industry workers been left in the dark?

South Africa’s transition to renewable energy is challenged by a shortage of planning, skills development and training, an investigation by Oxpeckers finds

Having committed to pursuing a much closer partnership with African governments and the African Union, the European Union must consider how it can best contribute to Africa’s security and economic prospects. (Photo by Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Europe must be Africa’s partner of choice

Having committed to pursuing a much closer partnership with African governments and the African Union, the European Union must consider how it can best contribute to Africa’s…

View of a high voltage transmission tower (electricity pylon) by twilight on January 11, 2022 in Niederaussem, Germany. The new federal coalition government of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) says current shortcomings in climate policies will mean that Germany will likely not attain its short-term climate goals and that an accelerated approach, announced today by Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck, is necessary.  (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Germany to speed up green energy projects in ‘gigantic’ effort

Germany’s Climate and Energy minister Robert Habeck on Tuesday pledged to drastically ramp up renewable energy projects in the coming years

China won’t fund coal power for Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone, ambassador confirms

China will keeps its promise about not funding coal abroad, Chen Xiadong tells Fossil Free South Africa

Former Eskom chief executive André de Ruyter.

Q&A Sessions: ‘I cannot fix Eskom. But we can fix this’ — André de Ruyter

Meet the father, the cook and the chief executive of Eskom, who wakes up at 3am and writes speeches. André de Ruyter speaks to Athandiwe Saba about the future of the power…

Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. (Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Barbara Creecy: ‘You can make a difference if you want to’

The minister of environment, forestry and fisheries, likes to watch the British medical drama series Casualty, she tells Sheree Bega