Why indigenous land tenure security is a condition for indigenous community engagement in energy transition in South Africa

The document examines the intersection of South Africa's renewable energy goals and indigenous land rights, focusing on the Boegoebaai site in the Northern Cape. It highlights how the failure to resolve historical land dispossessions and finalize restitution claims for the Richtersveld community risks further alienating indigenous populations during the energy transition. The brief advocates for moving beyond narrow definitions of 'justice'—which currently focus on employment and BBBEE—toward a framework that recognizes indigenous land sovereignty and implements inclusive partnership models.

• South Africa aims for carbon neutrality by 2050, with a specific goal to increase the share of renewable energy in its power generation mix from 11% to 41% by 2030.
• The Boegoebaai site in the Northern Cape, earmarked for a green hydrogen hub with a target of 40 GW of electrolyser capacity by 2050, is located on land subject to an outstanding restitution claim by the Richtersveld community.
• Despite a 2003 deed of settlement awarding the Richtersveld community land and mineral rights, including over 194,600 hectares, the failure to conclusively resolve the land claim leaves the community vulnerable to further alienation.
• The current interpretation of a 'just transition' in South Africa is too narrow, focusing primarily on employment and BBBEE participation while ignoring the land and natural resource rights of wider indigenous communities.
• The Boegoebaai project is estimated to create 2,971 direct construction jobs, 400 operational jobs, and 13,819 indirect jobs, yet it risks undermining the Richtersveld community's cultural identity, ancestral connections, and access to land.
• Indigenous communities in the Richtersveld face significant barriers to engagement, including internal leadership conflicts within the Communal Property Association (CPA), power and information asymmetries with the state and investors, and a lack of standardized consultation templates.
• To ensure a just transition, the document suggests adopting partnership models used in Canada, such as indigenous ownership, general partnerships, limited partnerships, or equity ownership, to move indigenous people from 'project beneficiaries' to owners or partners.

APA

G., P., & Hlatshwayo, J. (2023). Why indigenous land tenure security is a condition for indigenous community engagement in energy transition in South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_LandGovLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf

Chicago

G., Paradza,, and J. Hlatshwayo. Why indigenous land tenure security is a condition for indigenous community engagement in energy transition in South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2023. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_LandGovLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=G. |first1=Paradza, |last2=Hlatshwayo |first2=J. |title=Why indigenous land tenure security is a condition for indigenous community engagement in energy transition in South Africa |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=November 2023 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_LandGovLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{g2023why, author = {G., Paradza, and Hlatshwayo, J.}, title = {{Why indigenous land tenure security is a condition for indigenous community engagement in energy transition in South Africa}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231120_LandGovLocGovPolicyBrief_OSF.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }