‘Unjust’ Transition for Youth in South Africa

The document argues that the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy in South Africa's Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM) is 'unjust' for youth due to their exclusion from meaningful employment and productive assets. It highlights how the closure of the Komati Power Station has devastated local livelihoods and how current municipal land disposal conditions effectively bar unemployed youth from ownership. Furthermore, it notes that renewable energy projects, such as solar installations in Doornkop, provide only short-term, low-skill work that fails to create sustainable career paths for young people.

• Youth in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM) are systematically excluded from land ownership due to municipal disposal conditions that favor the wealthy and historically privileged. Barriers include requirements to purchase land at market value, a 50 per cent deposit, and residency requirements that conflict with the high mobility of youth seeking work.
• The decommissioning of the Komati Power Station, completed in October 2022 as part of Eskom's 2035 strategic plan, has severely impacted the local economy and youth livelihoods. While some youth have turned to innovative options like car washes and hair salons, or temporary Eskom contracts for cleaning and grass cutting, these roles are unstable and typically last only three to six months.
• Renewable energy initiatives in Doornkop, specifically a solar panel installation project for domestic and street lighting, provide insufficient and low-skill employment for youth. Local youth are limited to installing switches and receive only three days of training, which does not provide the skills necessary for long-term employment.
• The scale of the solar installation project in STLM is inadequate to meet the needs of the region's informal settlements. The project covers 2,700 households, which is only about a quarter of the estimated 12,000 households across the municipality's four informal settlements.
• South Africa faces a 'youth bulge' where a large cohort of young people cannot find employment, leading to economic exclusion. The national youth unemployment rate is 45.5 per cent, with over 10.3 million people aged 15–24 categorized as 'NEET' (not in employment, education or training).

APA

Kwena, M. (2025). ‘Unjust’ Transition for Youth in South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20250509_UnjustTransitionforYouth_PolicyBrief_MurialKwena.pdf

Chicago

Kwena, Murial. ‘Unjust’ Transition for Youth in South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2025. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20250509_UnjustTransitionforYouth_PolicyBrief_MurialKwena.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kwena |first1=Murial |title=‘Unjust’ Transition for Youth in South Africa |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=April 2025 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20250509_UnjustTransitionforYouth_PolicyBrief_MurialKwena.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kwena2025unjust, author = {Kwena, Murial}, title = {{‘Unjust’ Transition for Youth in South Africa}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = apr, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/20250509_UnjustTransitionforYouth_PolicyBrief_MurialKwena.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }