South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy was split in two after the 2024 general elections: Electricity and Energy and Mineral and Petroleum Resources. Part of the reason was to prevent conflicts of interest. Before the 2024 elections, the transition to renewable energy was at odds with the development of the minerals sector, including fossil fuels like coal.
Historically, fossil fuels have played a major role in the South African economy, with coal-fired power stations supplying 85% of South Africa’s electricity. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy was part of the minerals-energy complex – a relationship between mining, energy, the department and private capital set up in the 1800s. It was integral to the political economy of South Africa for at least a century. But it also had a negative side; wealth accumulation in the sector relied on cheap labour performed by Black mine workers.
From 1998, the mandate of the department was to promote responsible mining in line with good sustainable development and environmental management. This meant that as overseer and regulator of the mining industry, the department was critical to the decarbonisation the South African economy.
