Workers must play central role in shaping just energy transition, unions insist

As South Africa continues on its journey towards realising a just energy transition (JET), workers and unions have expressed their support for the move and for alternative sources of energy to be part of the energy mix, provided that labour plays a significant role, that its views are taken on board and that a social-ownership model is pursued. Associated Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) organisational development head Krister Janse van Rensburg emphasises that a transition to a low-carbon development path is crucial to addressing climate change and resolving “the deep crisis” the South African economy finds itself in.