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Mantashe warns against ‘encirclement’ by developed countries, chides environmental activists

Mantashe warns against ‘encirclement’ by developed countries, chides environmental activists
Ethan van Diemen
By Ethan van Diemen
7 Mar 2023
Facebook
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While a group of activists stood below him, placards about coal corruption and unblocking renewable energy held aloft in their hands, Minister Gwede Mantashe cautioned against ‘encirclement’ by developed economies and sought to cast his tenure as one marked by great development in the space of renewable energy.

The voice that says that energy production in Africa must be aligned with Africa’s socioeconomic development is the voice that needs to be heard, said the minister of mineral resources and energy, Gwede Mantashe. 

He was delivering a keynote speech at the Africa Energy Indaba at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.  

Mantashe stuck to his usual rhetorical repertoire of denouncing countries who view Africa as a “conduit”’ for the ideas of “the West”, embracing the label of “coal fundamentalist” and saying that a move away from coal would kill 10 towns in Mpumalanga. 

In a seemingly tailored message, Mantashe several times urged African countries and their leaders to be cautious of “encirclement” by developed countries who are trying to dictate the pace of the energy transition. He also made use of the occasion to respond to criticism levelled against him and his policy positions by environmental activists.   

“There must be a balance between energy demand, socioeconomic development and energy supplies that is premised on low carbon emissions. As we intend to move to low carbon emission energy we must also, at the same time, address energy poverty,” he said before turning his gaze to a group of Greenpeace Africa activists standing below his podium.   

One held a sign that said: “Coal = Corruption” while another said: “Coal = loadshedding”. Yet another activist turned and faced the minister with a large yellow sign that said “Gwede stop blocking renewables.”

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“You know, sometimes you want to respond to some of these things. Because people will say things they do not know. I will talk to them,” said Mantashe. 

“I like the term ‘encirclement’ because Africa’s people speak on behalf of them. And I think this is no different,” the minister said gesturing with two open hands to the activists who held the signs metres away from him. 

“It is this group who speaks on behalf of Africans and Africans are encircled, they must be conduits of their ideas. We don’t think we should allow that, this is what the delegates of this indaba must be occupied with.”  

Mantashe continued: “Energy poverty is one central dilemma that we must collectively resolve, as it impedes Africa’s economic growth, resulting in poverty and inequality. This includes lack of access to electricity, unaffordability of energy and in our case, electricity interruptions: load shedding.”  



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Referencing the activists again, he said: “You know, the Gwede who blocks renewables, has done [a] few things. We’ve released Bid Window 5, Bid Window 6, we’re going to release Bid Window 7… we’ve removed any ceiling on embedded generation… and that is blocking renewables because renewable is everything that came from heaven to save us,” he said sarcastically. 

“And I can tell you that [renewable energy] is not going to save us because it has limitations. It doesn’t have base load. It depends on partnering with other technologies to provide a sustainable and secure energy supply and security. So if we understand that, we’ll know that actually coal is going to be with us for a long time.”  

Addressing a protester whose sign read “coal = corruption”, Mantashe read out the sign and went on to say, “Coal corruption, it’s fine. And corruption is everywhere, including in renewables, I can tell you that.” 

However, Thandile Chinyavanhu, Greenpeace Africa’s climate and energy campaigner, in a statement shared a different perspective of the minister’s tenure and positions. 

“Fast-tracking a shift to renewable energy is clearly the solution, but the biggest blocker in the way of getting us out of the oppressive darkness of the electricity crisis is standing at the podium today. Minister Mantashe is too biased to see the real solutions, and his fossil fuel obsession is literally bringing South Africa to its knees and cannot remain unchallenged. Enough is enough,” she said.   

She continued: “The minister is ultimately to blame for load shedding, because he is actively blocking new renewable energy projects and not a single MW of electricity has been connected to the grid during his tenure. Minister Mantashe has either dodged accountability entirely, made vicious public comments about environmental activists, or declared that the fossil fuel industry is under attack, despite the industry announcing record billions in profits in 2022.  

“Minister Mantashe together with the fossil fuel industry are colluding to force South Africans down a devastating and depressing pathway to spiralling rolling blackouts, a jobless economy, catastrophic climate change and continued toxic air pollution. South Africans deserve so much better than this. A just transition to renewable energy is the best and most immediate solution to South Africa’s energy and unemployment crises,” ended Chinyavanhu. DM/OBP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REeWvTRUpMk

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