NUM supports Minister Gwede Mantashe’s stance on fossil fuel

10 March 2023

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is in support of the Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe on his call for Africa to unite against 'coercion' by the global anti-fossil fuel agenda.

During his recent address at the Africa Energy Indaba, Minister Mantashe reaffirmed his position on coal when he urged delegates not to neglect fossil fuels on the continent.

South Africa has an abundance of coal reserves. It will be very irresponsible for anyone to campaign against the use of coal.

The NUM’s position is that coal mines must be left alone. South Africa needs to start building environmentally friendly power stations. There are different ways in which coal can be made clean by the process of carbon capture and filtration.

The NUM stand opposed to the R131 billion offered to South Africa by the developed countries so that it can accelerate the closure of coal mines and power stations. The closure of the power stations in Mpumalanga must never be unnecessarily rushed as it will have devastating socio-economic impact.

The NUM is not opposed to renewable energy instead the country must continue following the Integrated Resource Plan to implement mixed energy.

Developed countries have been using fossil fuel over the years to build their economies. They are responsible for the climate change crisis that we are now facing.

The NUM believes in what COSATU characterized as a fair global deal which means the responsibility to reduce greenhouse gases must be distributed.

The developing countries are emitting fewer greenhouse gases compared to the developed countries such as China and the USA. The NUM refuses to be confused by the unrealistic and unscientific per capita indicator.

We are further agreeing with Minister Mantashe that “coal will be with us for many years to come, and those who see it as a road to corruption will be disappointed”.

On the appointment of Kgosientsho Sputla Ramokgopa as the Minister of Electricity by the State President Cyril Ramaphosa, the NUM would like to advise the new Minister not to jump high before meeting all stakeholders.

We have noted the appointment of the new Minister and again noted his confidence in addressing the electricity challenges faced by the country.

But for the new Minister to fully understand all the dynamics in the power utility, Eskom, it is important for him to consider an urgent meeting with us so that we can share notes.

The last thing that we do not want to see as the NUM is the privatisation of Eskom through the back door. Eskom problems were politicised for so long, and as such, the privatisation of the power utility through the implementation of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and the unbundling were seen as a solution.

Issued by William Mabapa, NUM General Secretary, 10 March 2023