3 days ago
Energy apartheid: Mining companies transition without justice
The term 'just transition' was originally used by the labour movement to refer to a transformative vision of infusing social justice into the transition to clean energy. Unfortunately, much like the phrases 'good governance' and 'social responsibility', it has come to be an aspiration the government and the private sector only profess commitment to.
The
Delving deeper, the study found that the explosion of household solar energy was only benefiting a white minority: the solar panel area per household was a staggering 73 times higher in white rather than in black areas.
Despite the central role played by the mining sector in the dispossession, exploitation and discrimination of communities under colonialism and apartheid, mining houses such as
As has been documented
According to its Integrated Development Plan, the local Fetakgomo Tubatse municipality hosts an estimated 41 mining operations. Yet, the
Recently Anglo American Platinum joined the increasing numbers of
It does not have to be this way. Anglo American Platinum's successor, like all mining companies, is legally required to invest in the development of host communities under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act through social and labour plan (SLP) projects. An ever-growing pile of reports by the
Valterra and other mining houses have an opportunity to develop SLP infrastructure and income generating projects of a suitable scale, ambition and rigour to rectify this. In this effort to reimagine the SLP, they could draw upon the ideas of local community organisations such as Sekhukhune Combined Mining Affected Communities (SCMAC). The SCMAC has, for several years, called on Anglo Platinum to equip communities to be able to generate electricity to sell to Twickenham and other mines.
The SCMAC has been proactive to the extent of enlisting partners such as 350 Africa, CALS and Ahinasa to research the needs of villages and produce a
Anglo American Platinum has, however, repeatedly failed to offer any concrete support even in the form of pilot projects and feasibility studies. Both company representatives and mine management were conspicuously absent at two events connected to a newly published research report making the case for Anglo's support notwithstanding invitations and prior engagements by the SCMAC.
Valtera might respond that there is limited funding available because Twickenham generates no revenue being in care and maintenance. This does not hold water as Valterra is a vast revenue-generating group of companies and its decision to keep Twickenham non-operational for more than 10 years necessitates more social expenditure to be making a meaningful contribution to economic development of the area.
They might also argue that as just one company they cannot solely be responsible for addressing systemic problems and can only play a supplementary role to the government. But this assumes that they have done everything they can possibly do.
Have they?
In 2024, Anglo American Platinum generated nearly
Anglo American Platinum (in its new guise as Valterra Platinum) and other mining companies therefore have a choice: perpetuate energy apartheid or make good on their commitment to contribute towards a just transition worthy of its name.
Robert Krause is the acting head of Environmental Justice at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies, Wits University
