South Africa’s Coal Communities Left Behind as Nation Promises Clean Energy Transition

Despite South Africa’s ambitious plans for a “just transition” to renewable energy, coal mining communities in northern KwaZulu-Natal continue to suffer from environmental health hazards while seeing little evidence of the promised change. In towns like Dannhauser and Mtubatuba, residents report that coal dust still blankets their homes, environmental activists face intimidation for speaking out, and new mining permit applications continue to flood in—painting a stark contrast to the government’s clean energy rhetoric.

The situation highlights a fundamental tension in South Africa’s energy transformation. As the country seeks to transition away from coal—which currently generates 74% of its electricity—coal-dependent workers find themselves at odds with community members whose health and livelihoods have been devastated by decades of mining pollution. Residents near the Tendele mine describe pervasive coal dust coating everything in their homes, alongside concerns about water contamination and the health impacts of ongoing mining operations.

In 2022, the South African government formally defined its “just transition” framework, promising to address both the environmental and health damage caused by coal operations and the economic disruption that would result from shutting down this vital industry. The plan specifically emphasized protecting vulnerable populations—including poor communities, women, youth, and people with disabilities—through compensation for environmental damage and meaningful participation in decision-making processes.

However, two years later, coal mining communities report that the transition appears to be happening everywhere except in the places where coal is actually extracted from the ground, leaving them questioning whether the government’s promises of justice and environmental remediation will ever materialize.