Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa on August 14 visited Seriti Green’s flagship Ummbila Emoyeni renewable-energy project in Mpumalanga, highlighting it as an exemplar for the country’s just energy transition (JET).

The project was “major”, as it was located in the coal heartlands, where much of the country’s energy came from, and also represented the coexistence of renewable-energy technology with coal, the Minister told media on the sidelines of the visit.

“What’s more significant is that Seriti Green has been able to invest in the people, and ensure the coexistence of primary agriculture and the interventions that they are making. The Seriti Green project is a perfect illustration of what can be achieved – a genuine JET,” he acclaimed.

He also welcomed the investment from Chinese company Goldwind, which was supplying the wind turbines to Seriti Green, as it represented foreign direct investment into the country.

Seriti Green project manager Rudolph Botha pointed out that an associated benefit of the project was the company’s R50-million co-investment with Goldwind in upgrading the facilities at the Port of Richards Bay, where the turbines for the project were being delivered.

Ramokgopa emphasised that energy development was a lynchpin for economic development in the country.

“Energy leads and the rest follows. It must be affordable and the mix must be right. Ummbila Emoyeni is a perfect illustration of the best of the renewable-energy sector and it is significant that it is happening in Mpumalanga.”

Seriti Green, a wholly South African and majority black-owned independent power producer, is pursuing the advancement of the country’s JET, through the Ummbila Emoyeni project, as well as the adjacently-located Phefumula Emoyeni wind farm project.

The company is a subsidiary of Seriti Resources, which has a 54.18% stake, while other shareholders include Venn Energy with a 15% stake, Rand Merchant Bank with a 15.41% stake and Standard Bank with a 15.41% stake.

Seriti Resources CEO Mike Teke explained that coal still had a role to play in the country’s energy mix as part of the JET, noting that the group was cognisant of this, with no plans to sell any of its coal mine assets, and continuing to develop them.

The project is a manifestation of Seriti Resources’ hybrid strategy of having both coal and renewable-energy assets in its portfolio.

“What has been unfortunate in the country is what I call the binarisation of the conversation – it’s coal or renewables – and I’m saying it’s all of the above, but also accepting that there’s going to be an exponential increase of the share of renewables in the mix, and then reduce the emissions of the coal power stations that continue to run,” Ramokgopa commented.

However, Teke did draw attention to an issue being faced as that of the onerous red tape companies contend with, with long lead times and challenges in the approvals process.

Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn reiterated this point, noting that it took several years to secure the paperwork to build the project, incongruously longer that the time it takes to actually build it.

Ramokgopa acknowledged that private investment in renewable energy was necessary to meet the country’s goals of an additional 15 GW of energy by 2030, and that this would not be realised without resolving regulatory challenges.



He added that issues being faced in the space were gleaned from discussions with Seriti on the day, underscoring the importance of learning from live projects.

Ramokgopa mentioned that it was significant that all three spheres of government were present at the site visit, showcasing the importance of the project to the country, as well as enabling work to be streamlined.

Located between Bethal and Morgenzon in Mpumalanga, Ummbila Emoyeni is South Africa’s first wind farm in the province.

A provincial representative highlighted that the project “brings a lot of excitement for the people of Mpumalanga”, notwithstanding many communities previously being sceptical about the concept of the JET, owing to the province’s reliance on the coal mining industry.

However, positive impact is now materialising, including the creation of 2 000 jobs to date, and support for small-, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) and skilled and unskilled workers, she said.

Ummbila Emoyeni was a 900 MW hybrid energy facility in the Highveld area of Mpumalanga. The development would ultimately consist of 750 MW wind energy, 150 MW solar PVand 800 MWh battery storage, Venn said.

The first three phases of the seven-stage Ummbila Emoyeni project, each comprising a 155 MW wind energy facility, are scheduled to begin commercial operation in the first half of 2027.

Once completed, it would be the largest renewable hybrid energy facility in South Africa, and the country’s largest wind farm, Venn said.

Botha purported that these were also the biggest turbines on the continent at present.

The wind farm will supply Seriti Resources’ coal mines with up to 500 GWh/y of electricity, representing 75% of the group’s energy needs, and aligned to its decarbonisation strategy.

The project’s anticipated total capital investment spend will be R70-billion. Venn said that there was currently financial close of R10-billion for the first set of turbines, and the company would be closing out on the remainder over the next 12 months, with these to be built over the next 30 to 36 months.