The people of Sekhukhune in Limpopo have a proud history of resistance to land dispossession and minority rule. Today, these communities continue demonstrating resilience and determination in their fight for economic justice and a just transition to renewable energy.
The Sekhukhune Combined Mining Affected Communities (SCMAC) are leading the fight for a genuinely just transition in Sekhukhune and demanding socially owned renewable energy (SORE) for mining-affected villages.
We know it is possible to set up more equitable and efficient land and energy systems than those developed in our colonised past. Communities should decide what that looks like for themselves. So we teamed up with SCMAC and other trusted partners to demonstrate our vision for a just energy future.
Introducing the Sekhukhune Social Ownership Project
We’re thrilled to introduce you to this exciting new project 350Africa.org is working on with the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), Ahinasa Development practitioners and Sekhukhune Combined Mining Affected Communities (SCMAC).
In thinking about how to ensure a genuinely just transition, our view is that renewable energy should primarily be produced for the needs and purposes of society rather than for what will make the most profits for a few rich companies.
The means to generate renewable energy should also primarily belong to the public or the community as a whole. In this way, the Sekhukhune Social Ownership Project builds on longstanding traditions of communal ownership and collective responsibility for our shared resources and our environment.
For the last year, we’ve been working with a core team in SCMAC to learn about and develop a campaign for socially owned renewable energy installations in the four villages around Twickenham mine. Working with SCMAC and our other partners, we’ve undertaken a process of participatory research into different SORE models for Sekhukhune, from community ownership to state-owned renewable energy infrastructure. So far we’ve completed 52 interviews with households across four villages, gathering valuable insights. We are preparing to launch a report on our findings in November so keep an eye out for the next email blast and ways you can get involved in our campaign for socially owned renewable energy driven by a Green New Eskom.
In the Sekhukhune region, mineral-rich communities have suffered the negative consequences of mining while mine owners reaped the benefits. SCMAC argues that the Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) of mining companies in the area should include the provision and support for locally generated and socially owned renewable energy to help end energy poverty in the region. We urgently need the government to put in place plans and begin implementing the installation of state and community-owned renewable energy infrastructure.
Our Hope For This Project
We hope to use this research to work with local mines, local government officials and ESKOM to plan and develop renewable energy infrastructure for energy-poor villages. Together we are building our capacity to advocate for policies that support SORE and empower communities to take control of their energy future.
Moving towards cleaner energy isn’t just good for the planet; it’s also important for our society and the economy. South Africa’s reliance on fossil fuels has contributed to the climate emergency and high rates of air pollution that have made coal-mining-affected communities very sick. The loadshedding crisis has had massive economic impacts and was worsened by the government’s failure to invest in public renewable energy sooner. We say, “Nothing about us, without us.” Working-class communities deserve a say in their energy future and a share in its benefits. We want to show it is possible to develop SORE that allows fairness in energy access; is efficient and fair; is open and inclusive; is careful with resources, minimises the negative effects of resource extraction, protects rights and encourages participation of communities, maintains a healthy environment and ensures financial fairness and climate responsibility.