Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, says “coal is king” and remains critical for the country’s energy security. She said Eskom still relied heavily on coal to generate power even as the country embarks on its “just transition” to cleaner energy.
Nkabane was addressing the annual Southern African Coal Conference in Cape Town on Thursday, attended by various players in the international coal and energy sector.
Over 90% of energy supplied by Eskom is derived from coal. She said coal was more valuable to the South African economy than gold, and would continue to be a key primary fossil fuel.
“Coal contributed R51 billion to South Africa’s economy compared to gold’s R31 billion. Statistics South Africa further observed way back in 2013 that, measured at current prices, coal is now king.”
Nkabane also told the conference that aligning Eskom with the DMRE was long overdue, adding that the department would leave no stone unturned in ending load shedding.