Global mining company Anglo American has called for closer cooperation between government and the private sector to unlock much-needed investment in South Africa’s energy sector.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, the company’s Chief Projects and Development Officer, Alison Atkinson, said that while Africa’s electricity generation capacity is improving, inadequate transmission infrastructure remains a major bottleneck.
Her comments come as government advances plans to restructure state utility Eskom by unbundling it into three separate entities: generation, transmission and distribution. Under the revised roadmap, the National Transmission Company South Africa will remain a subsidiary of Eskom Holdings and retain ownership of transmission assets.
However, aspects of the plan have faced opposition from sections of the business community, who argue that the structure remains overly complex and may not go far enough to liberalise the market.
Atkinson stressed that national infrastructure will always be essential, but warned that without greater liberalisation, energy costs are likely to continue rising. She noted that competitive and predictable energy pricing is critical for investment decisions — particularly in sectors such as critical minerals, mining and refining.
“If you can manage that cost through these mechanisms,” she said, “it means those investment decisions at a global scale come back to Southern Africa.”
Her remarks underscore the broader industry view that policy certainty and transmission reform are key to positioning South Africa and the wider region as competitive destinations for large-scale mining and energy investment.