Ethnographic Research as a Tool for More Inclusive Just Transition Policies

The report argues that traditional top-down consultations for South Africa's just energy transition (JET) often exclude marginalized groups and fail to address local realities. By applying ethnographic research and a co-production pilot in Mpumalanga, the study identifies critical gaps in information, trust, and service delivery following the closure of the Komati Power Station. It recommends institutionalizing co-production and ethnographic methods to ensure that women, youth, and informal workers are meaningfully included in policy design.

• There is a significant gap in community awareness and trust regarding the just energy transition (JET), with many residents perceiving it as an externally imposed initiative driven by international funders rather than local needs.
• Marginalized groups, including women, youth, informal workers, and small-scale enterprises, are systematically underrepresented in the design of transition policies despite being highly vulnerable to economic reforms.
• The decommissioning of the Komati Power Station has led to increased unemployment and the erosion of community services, as the local municipality failed to replace the corporate social investment initiatives previously provided by the mine.
• Existing just transition policies frequently overlook critical community priorities that disproportionately affect women, such as childcare gaps, food insecurity, and infrastructure deficits.
• Traditional government consultation processes are often viewed as performative and top-down, characterized by 'knowledge asymmetries' and a lack of transparency regarding decisions already made.
• Ethnographic research, which involves long-term immersion and trust-building, is more effective than standard surveys or interviews at uncovering the needs of marginalized groups and reducing participation barriers.
• A co-production pilot in Phola demonstrated that mapping local assets and integrating lived experiences can surface overlooked economic pillars, such as the local food and care economies, which are essential for community resilience.
• Women in coal-dependent regions face interlocking vulnerabilities, including a heavy burden of unpaid care work due to a lack of social workers and limited access to land and capital for informal businesses.

APA

Ledger, T., Vazi, B., & Rampedi, M. (2025). Ethnographic Research as a Tool for More Inclusive Just Transition Policies. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-11/ethnographic-research-just-transition-south-africa.pdf

Chicago

Ledger, Tracy, Bathandwa Vazi, and Mahlatse Rampedi. Ethnographic Research as a Tool for More Inclusive Just Transition Policies. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-11/ethnographic-research-just-transition-south-africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ledger |first1=Tracy |last2=Vazi |first2=Bathandwa |last3=Rampedi |first3=Mahlatse |title=Ethnographic Research as a Tool for More Inclusive Just Transition Policies |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=November 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-11/ethnographic-research-just-transition-south-africa.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ledger2025ethnographic, author = {Ledger, Tracy and Vazi, Bathandwa and Rampedi, Mahlatse}, title = {{Ethnographic Research as a Tool for More Inclusive Just Transition Policies}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-11/ethnographic-research-just-transition-south-africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }