‘Malema calls on South Africans to reject Just Energy Transition’ 28 January 2023

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has urged party members to lead workers and coal mining communities to reject what he believes is the agenda to collapse South Africa’s coal mining sector and government’s so-called Just Energy Transition. Addressing over five hundred delegates from across the party’s national, provincial, and regional structures on Gauteng’s east rand on Friday night, Malema said that western countries have given President Cyril Ramaphosa $8.5 billion dollars to abandon coal in favour of renewable energy even as countries such as Germany and the United States increase their coal use. He says this week’s visit to the country by US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen was to entrench the agenda to abandon coal.

“There is no plan to transition to a renewable energy source in a way that will secure jobs and ensure energy security in South Africa and to make matters worse there have been no consultations with South Africans about the planned closing of coal power stations. We must lead the revolt in these communities but more importantly, the EFF must begin to develop a coherent and practical energy policy to protect the environment and jobs while not having the dangerous influence of the USA.”

…Malema says there is no verifiable plan to fix the current blackouts. “Comrades, there is no verifiable plan to fix the current crisis at Eskom, and to make matters worse there is no policy certainty as to what sources of energy ought to be used to ensure stable electricity supply in South Africa,” he claims. Malema says this week’s visit to the country by US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen was to entrench the agenda to abandon coal. He adds that the party will also focus on the country’s challenges. “The plenum marks an opportunity for us as a collective leadership from all over the country and within the legislative sphere to reflect on the challenges confronting us internally and externally while setting the agenda for the organisation for the next year.