The NUM is hosting just energy transition summit 19 - 20 September 2023 at Emperors Palace

Media Alert 18 September 2023

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is set to host a two days Summit on Just Energy Transition aimed at defining and identifying what mechanisms trade unions need to put in place to ensure that South Africa’s transition leaves no one behind.

As it is currently unfolds in South Africa, the Just Energy Transition is
continuously being mentioned and referred to by different stakeholders.
Despite trade unions being the originators of the Just Transition concept, many actors have since come into the Just Transition space and each have defined the transition in line with their own interests.

It is therefore important that trade unions gather under one roof to
meaningfully and practically engage on the dynamics of the energy transition. This will ensure that, in their efforts to achieve a Just Transition for workers, their definition of what constitutes a Just Transition is not undermined and side-lined.

This summit will assist in defining and identifying what mechanisms trade unions need to put in place to ensure that South Africa’s transition leaves no one behind. This is an opportunity for trade unions to consider what their overall responsibility will be in ensuring that they achieve a just transition that will ensure sufficient safeguards and guarantees of livelihoods for all those that stand to be affected especially in the spaces in which they organise.

The NUM will also use this summit to also learn from countries and trade unions that have implemented a Just Transition such as Denmark and 3F. We are also going to use the summit to engage other trade union federations in the country to understand their view on the energy transition and explore if there are possibilities of working together in making energy transition just.

The NUM is open for debate and engagement on the energy transition in the country and this Summit provides a good platform for such engagement. Nonetheless, the NUM is not willing and will not compromise the interests of its members and workers in general in its engagement with stakeholders on energy transition in the country.

What the NUM has witnessed so far, it is an Energy Transition, not a Just Energy Transition, being pushed and fast tracked by some interest parties without consideration of the union’s point of view. Unless it is made ‘Just’ the NUM will not support the energy transition in the country.

The following stakeholders are invited to attend and make inputs:

Delegates from Congress of South African Trade Unions

Delegates from IndustriAll

Delegates of the Presidential Climate Commission

Delegates from the mining qualifications authority

Delegates from 3F Trade union from Denmark

Delegates from the following government departments

Delegates from EWSETA and CETA

Delegates from AIDC

Department of Public Enterprise

Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

Delegates from the Embassy of Denmark

Delegates from CISR

The Summit is organised as followed:

Date: 19 - 20 September 2023

Venue: Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni

Time: From 9am

Members of the are invited to attend and cover the Summit.

For more detailed information, please contact:

Mpho Phakedi, NUM Deputy General Secretary, 082 882 3452
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257
Luphert Chilwane, NUM Media Officer, 083 809 3255

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/10086002340216