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The research paper examines the implications of the lapsed 123 Agreement between the US and South Africa, which suspended export licenses for nuclear fuel supplier Westinghouse Electric Corporation. It details the critical life extension process at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant, including the replacement of steam generators for Unit 1 and Unit 2, and notes that the plant provides approximately 6% of South Africa's electricity. The document highlights a deadlock in US-South Africa negotiations over South Africa's right to produce its own nuclear fuel, and notes a new Memorandum of Understanding between the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and Russia's TVEL. Finally, it mentions South Africa's plan to procure an additional 2500 MW of nuclear power to combat loadshedding, despite past legal challenges to nuclear deals with Russia.

The report outlines a total potential market size of R468 billion by 2030 for large-scale renewable energy in South Africa, split between private procurement (R214 billion), public procurement (R212 billion), and local component manufacturing (R42 billion). Private procurement is growing rapidly due to the removal of generation licensing requirements and the demand for energy security amidst loadshedding. Public procurement is driven by the REIPPPP and municipal tenders, though it faces policy uncertainty and municipal financial strain. Local manufacturing is supported by the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) and trade agreements, but is hindered by low cost imports and grid constraints. Key systemic barriers include severe grid capacity constraints in high-yield areas and a critical shortage of technical skills for installation and commissioning.

The Life after Coal Campaign (LAC) and Fair Finance Southern Africa (FFSA) call for greater transparency and civil society inclusion in South Africa's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). They demand clarity on financial offers from the International Partners Group, the composition of JETP working groups, and the accessibility of the JETP Investment Plan. The coalitions argue that climate finance must prioritize 'justice elements'—including gender-responsive interventions and community-led projects—while strictly excluding funding for new coal, gas, or nuclear energy. They further emphasize the need for robust governance to track finance flows and ensure that the transition does not impose austerity on low-income users.

The report argues that South Africa does not need new gas-fired power generation until at least 2035, if ever, due to the falling costs of renewables and battery storage. It warns that current government momentum toward gas-to-power, including the RMI4P program and proposed LNG terminals, risks creating stranded assets and increasing electricity costs for consumers. The authors recommend a moratorium on gas-to-power development, focusing instead on rapid renewable deployment and energy efficiency.

The report examines the intersection of the IMF's expanding climate mandate and South Africa's transition from a coal-dependent economy. It highlights the risks of the IMF's traditional austerity-driven policy toolkit and recommends a more inclusive, transparent approach that prioritizes social justice and long-term stability over short-term fiscal consolidation.

The South African energy services market is expanding due to rising electricity costs, energy insecurity, and falling technology prices. The market is segmented into small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), energy storage, and energy efficiency, with a total available market estimated at R131 billion by 2035. Key opportunities include rooftop solar PV for commercial and industrial (C&I) and agricultural sectors, behind-the-meter battery storage, and innovative energy efficiency models like Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS). The Western Cape is highlighted as a leading regional hub due to its supportive municipal policies and high uptake of SSEG.

The document argues that Zimbabwe can overcome high transport costs and fuel shortages by transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) and micromobility. It highlights the potential for a 'campus model' of electrification in the mining sector, the use of used EV imports to lower entry barriers, and the opportunity to leverage Zimbabwe's rich deposits of battery minerals like lithium and nickel to move from mineral export to local battery manufacturing.

The Life After Coal Campaign argues that the Draft Regulations Amending the Electricity Regulations on New Generation Capacity, 2011 are redundant and legally inconsistent. They contend that the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) does not require Ministerial approval for municipalities to establish electricity capacity, and that such regulations create unnecessary barriers to the urgent transition to clean energy. The document highlights the severe health, environmental, and economic harms of South Africa's coal-dependent energy sector and criticizes the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 for unjustifiably constraining renewable energy while permitting new coal and gas capacity. The campaign recommends that if the regulations proceed, they must include requirements for environmental and health impact assessments, transparent public consultation, and financial support for under-resourced municipalities.

The Life After Coal Campaign, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights, calls for the urgent promulgation of a robust Climate Change Act and the abandonment of new fossil fuel projects in South Africa. The document highlights the lack of transparency regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) and argues that non-compliant coal-fired power stations must be decommissioned as part of a just transition. It further asserts that South Africa's current commitments under the Paris Agreement are inadequate and must be revised to align with the 1.5 degree Celsius limit to avoid severe regional climate impacts.

The report examines the risks associated with the potential significant decline of South Africa's coal production over the next five to ten years. It highlights the high concentration of coal assets in Mpumalanga province and the resulting vulnerability of local employment and municipal revenues. The authors argue that a 'just transition' requires moving beyond technical energy models to address local-level impacts, including labor redeployment, economic diversification, and the remediation of environmental legacies. It identifies gaps in current governance, such as the conflict of interest within the Department of Mineral Resources, and suggests that existing mechanisms like Social and Labour Plans need systemic improvement to be effective.

The report examines the South African utility-scale renewable energy market, focusing on the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and the 2018 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). It highlights the transition from a coal-dominated energy mix toward wind and solar, detailing the economic impact of the REIPPPP, emerging opportunities in municipal procurement and project refinancing, and the role of the Western Cape as a greentech hub.

The report analyzes Mpumalanga's spatial status, identifying a resource-rich province dominated by coal mining and agriculture but facing severe environmental degradation and infrastructure backlogs. Key findings highlight that while the province is a national energy hub, it suffers from poor air quality in the Highveld, critical water scarcity, and significant housing shortages. The analysis emphasizes the need for urban restructuring, agrarian transformation in rural areas, and the protection of strategic water source areas and biodiversity corridors against mining encroachment.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), writing on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, calls on Nedbank to cease financing the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations. The CER argues that these projects, part of the Coal Baseload Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (CBIPPPP), are not 'procured' as claimed in the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2018 because they lack essential legal authorisations, including atmospheric emission and water use licences. The document asserts that these plants are unnecessary for electricity supply, excessively expensive, and would cost South Africa nearly R20 billion more than required. Furthermore, it highlights severe health risks for residents in the Waterberg-Bojanala and Highveld Priority Areas and warns that the plants' high greenhouse gas emission intensities would undermine South Africa's Paris Agreement commitments. The CER criticizes Nedbank for excluding these 'existing commitments' from its 2018 policy against financing new coal-fired power plants.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) contends that South Africa's reliance on microeconomic interventions and 'orthodox' macroeconomic policies—characterized by fiscal austerity and high interest rates—has failed to curb unemployment. The brief proposes a R500 billion fiscal stimulus and a fundamental shift in the South African Reserve Bank's (SARB) mandate to prioritize employment and growth over strict inflation targeting. It suggests various funding mechanisms for the stimulus, including increased taxation, moderate borrowing, and the use of over-capitalized pension funds. Additionally, it advocates for 'Quantitative Monetary Easing' (QME) to provide direct credit to productive sectors and the implementation of capital controls to stabilize the exchange rate and curb speculative capital flows.

The document outlines the economic drivers and practical implementation of solar PV for businesses in the Western Cape, noting that systems can reduce electricity costs by up to 16% with payback periods typically between 3 and 8 years. It details three financing models—self-funded, bank-funded, and power purchase agreements (PPAs)—and lists the municipalities in the province that support small scale embedded generation (SSEG). Additionally, it highlights available tax incentives, such as 100% accelerated depreciation, and the Western Cape government's goal to reach 135MW of rooftop PV capacity by 2020.

The document serves as a resource for municipal officials to manage the implementation of small scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems under 1MW. It details the technical components of solar PV, the differences between grid-tied and off-grid configurations, and the economic trends driving adoption, such as a 40% price drop for systems under 10kWp between 2013 and 2016. The guide outlines a sustainable tariff framework that includes network costs, service charges, and feed-in rates, while emphasizing the need for cost-of-supply studies and high-resolution load profiles. It provides a comprehensive 9-step application process for grid-tied systems and lists the necessary legal documentation, including Certificates of Compliance and Supplemental Contracts. Finally, it identifies the national standards (such as NRS 097-2) and municipal by-laws required to ensure grid stability, public safety, and the prevention of illegal connections.

The report examines the risks of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) and Coal Chemicals, highlighting their potential to expand coal reserves and increase greenhouse gas emissions. It details environmental failures in Australia, the US, and South Africa, and the massive scale of coal-to-chemical projects in China, concluding that these technologies are incompatible with a 1.5C warming limit.

South Africa faces a severe water crisis driven by climate change, population growth, and crumbling infrastructure. The report argues that the country must shift its focus from building new infrastructure to managing demand through water efficiency. Key opportunities for savings include improving agricultural irrigation (30-40%), reducing municipal leaks and household waste (12-30%), and increasing industrial efficiency. The document emphasizes the role of the business community in disclosing water use and investing in water-saving technologies to avoid economic instability and social unrest.

The review finds that ambient air quality in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) has not shown significant improvement since 2012, with frequent exceedances of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Industrial sources remain the dominant contributors of SO2 and NOx, while mining is the primary source of PM10. An audit of the AQMP implementation reveals that less than 50% of interventions have been fully achieved, with significant deficiencies in vehicle emissions, waste management, and low-income settlement interventions. While government organizational capacity and awareness have improved, the report recommends a revised plan with SMART goals and strengthened cooperative governance across national departments.

The Nkangala District Municipality Air Quality Management Plan assesses air quality across six local municipalities, identifying significant pollution from industrial point sources, domestic fuel burning, and mining. It details ambient air quality exceedances for PM10, SO2, and NOx, identifies specific 'hot spots' such as eMalahleni and Middelburg, and outlines a comprehensive implementation plan to improve government capacity and reduce emissions by 2020.