South Africa: Climate Activists Add Electricity Minister Ramokgopa to List of Respondents in Environmental Impact Case

14 September 2023
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Onke Ngcuka

Civic and climate organisations have expanded their court application against several stakeholders involved in approving 1,500MW of coal-fired power. The case was filed in 2021, but has faced delays due to outstanding details on the added coal capacity.

Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has been added to the list of respondents in the #CancelCoal campaign's legal action against the addition of 1,500MW of coal-fired energy to the Integrated Resources Plan of 2019 (IRP 2019), according to the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER).

The litigation is the country's first youth-led climate case against respondents who include Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy, as well as President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Bringing the case are organisations including the African Climate Alliance, Vukani Environmental Justice in Action (VEM) and groundWork. They argue that new coal procurement will have devastating health and environmental impacts.

A legal letter was written to Ramakgopa in August, where the CER - who is representing the organisations - requested that the minister join the original application against the other respondents. The letter received no response.

"Although the decisions under challenge were made by the Minister of Energy, the Minister of Electricity now appears to hold these powers. Any court order requiring a fresh determination of the Integrated Resource Plan will most likely involve the Minister of Electricity, who has been served an...

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