In May 2025, Just Share, a South African non-profit organisation that uses shareholder activism, responsible investment, and sustainable finance to promote urgent action on climate change and inequality, released a report titled "The Obstruction Playbook: How Corporate Lobbying Threatens South Africa’s Just Transition."

The report alleges that some of South Africa’s largest corporate actors have, over the past two decades, both publicly and privately, attempted to obstruct the development and implementation of effective climate policy by the government. It outlines what it describes as a history of industry interventions in climate-related regulatory processes. The report draws on corporate submissions to draft legislation and records of meetings with government officials which the authors obtained through requests under the Promotion of Access to Information Act. The report further claims that these efforts, primarily attributed to Sasol Limited and industry bodies such as Business Unity South Africa and the Minerals Council South Africa, contributed to significant regulatory delays and concessions. According to the report, these alleged actions have weakened the effectiveness of the Carbon Tax Act 15 of 2019 and the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited all companies and industry associations mentioned in the report to respond to the allegations. Specifically, they were asked to: (a) disclose any principles guiding their engagement with government on climate policy, (b) publish any climate-related submissions they had made to government, and (c) describe any steps taken to ensure that their positions on climate policy align with both national and international decarbonisation goals as well as to respond to the allegations that they were responsible for weakening climate change policies in South Africa.

Thungela Resources; Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), ArcelorMittal, the Energy Council of South Africa, the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa (FIASA), the Minerals Council, the South African Iron Steel Institute, Sasol, Seriti and Total Energies responded. Their responses are included in this story.

Eskom; the Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association (CAIA); the Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG); Industry Task Team on Climate Change (ITTCC); South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA); Anglo American Platinum; Industrial Development Corporation (IDC); Central Energy Fund (CEF); Naamsa – The Automotive Business Council did not respond. We shall include their responses if we receive them.