Deputy President Paul Mashatile: Launch of the Just Energy Transition Skills Desk, Advisory Forum and Multi-Door Initiative

Programme Director;

Minister of Small Business and Development, Mrs Stella Ndabeni;

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube;

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe;

MEC Jacob Mamabolo, MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport in Gauteng,

Her Excellency Mrs Sandra Kramer, Ambassador of the European Union to South Africa;

His Excellency Mr. Andreas Peschke, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to South Africa;

Mr Daniel Lauchenauer, representing His Excellency Mr Mirko Manzoni, Ambassador of Switzerland to South Africa;

Leaders from government, labour, industry, and civil society;

International development partners;

Academics, Members of the media and distinguished guests;

Good morning!! Goeie more!! Sanibonani!! Dumelang!! Avuxeni!! Ndi Matsheloni!!

Ladies and gentlemen, we are meeting today in a month where South Africa celebrates Women’s Month under the theme – “Building resilient economies for all.”

This theme resonates well with what we are doing today, which is to officially launch the JET Skills Desk and the National JET Skills Advisory Forum, two pillars of South Africa's Just Energy Transition Skills Portfolio.

We cannot talk of a Just Energy Transition without talking about women and other vulnerable groups, and the impact that a Business-as-Usual approach to climate change has on their lives and livelihoods.

As such, the launch of these structures is critical to our broader developmental objectives and commitment to building a prosperous and equal society. Leaving no one behind!

These structures are part of a vital transition towards a low-carbon, inclusive, and equitable energy future. They will provide the leadership and coordination necessary to advance a cohesive and demand-driven skills development agenda.

They will also tackle the green skills gap hindering the equitable energy transition and affecting our economic development and competitiveness. The skills mismatch gap prevents organisations from locating suitable individuals, resulting in sluggish production, delayed innovation, and diminished competitiveness.

This launch is going into effect because we collectively recognise the need for a holistic strategy that includes education reform and an increase in skilled labour, to guarantee that all South Africans, particularly those living in coal-dependent and disadvantaged areas, can participate in the green economy.

We want the communities in these areas to understand and be aware of the skills needed for employment as a result of the green transition, as well as the sectors in which they will be created, the skill level required, and who is most suited to offer them.

This highlights the importance of transforming the skills base to facilitate a just and inclusive transition to green energy by establishing strong industry collaborations for practical training and rapidly improving university and TVET curricula.

In the context of South Africa, a country grappling with the challenge of transitioning to a sustainable energy future, the importance of skills development cannot be overstated. The concept of Just Energy Transition emphasises the need to move towards cleaner energy sources, while ensuring a fair and equitable transition for all stakeholders, particularly those from communities reliant on traditional energy sources.

South Africa's transition to renewable energy requires individuals and organisations to acquire new skills in renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency practices, and sustainability principles and a profound understanding of the social and economic implications of the transition.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our government is focusing on a green energy transition to improve energy security and combat climate change by creating new economic opportunities, reducing poverty, and improving public health outcomes.

Through the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), we aim to build new, sustainable energy sources, develop sectors like green hydrogen and electric vehicles, and enhance energy security through a massive rollout of clean energy infrastructure.

In all these areas, the government recognises the need to proactively build skills to ensure the transition is just and creates employment opportunities, making skill development a core element of JET-IP rather than an afterthought.

Suffice to say, at the heart of South Africa’s energy transition is South Africa and her people. It is about restoring dignity through decent work and creating opportunities, ensuring that no one is left behind. Whether we are talking about upgrading grid infrastructure or expanding green manufacturing, nothing moves without the people.

Fundamental to what we are saying is that the Just Energy Transition should not only be measured by how many megawatts of renewable energy we install, but also by how many lives are improved and communities empowered.

The first step to empowering a community is to offer skills that align with today's global needs. Skills are the bridge between transition and inclusion, between economic restructuring and social justice.

The JET Skills Desk, located in the Department of Higher Education and Training, will therefore serve as the operational engine for the JET Skills Portfolio. It will ensure that planning is evidence-based, industry-informed, and aligned with labour market demand. Its priorities include:

• Reskilling and upskilling adult workers, especially in declining and vulnerable value chains
• Developing robust skill anticipation systems grounded in labour market intelligence
• Strengthening the foundational education system through curriculum reform, educator development, and institutional readiness

Along with it is the National JET Skills Advisory Forum. I am pleased to officially announce that it will be housed under the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), which I chair. This Council brings together stakeholders from across government, labour, business, and civil society and is a relevant platform for the Advisory Forum considering its multidisciplinary nature and stakeholder reach.

This inclusive platform will support alignment, monitor progress, and facilitate joint problem-solving. It will ensure that no single actor and sector moves in isolation and that our national skills response is coherent, accountable, and grounded in shared ownership.

These structures will also establish key integrated mechanisms, including a JET Skills Integrated Plan, to guide and coordinate interventions across the system. This plan will ensure alignment with national priorities, eliminate duplication, and maximise its impact.

They will further support the development of Skills Development Zones, which are targeted hubs in high-impact areas like Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, and the Northern Cape. These zones will link training to employment opportunities in emerging sectors, such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, and new energy vehicles, thereby enabling localised economic resilience.

Honourable Ministers,

As we move into implementation, we must shift from research to delivery. While past research has been vital, we now face duplication and fatigue in this space. What is needed are tangible, measurable investments: in the infrastructure of TVET colleges and universities, in entrepreneurship and small business developmentin affected communities, and in building robust systems for career guidance and train-the-trainer programmes.

It is important that I bring to your attention the fact that there is currently no dedicated financial allocation for JET skilling intervention. Due to this, the mobilisation of blended funds is of utmost importance.

Therefore, public investment must lead by creating the policy and institutional environment; private sector investment must follow by co-investing in training aligned with industrial demand; and philanthropic funding can function as a catalyst, particularly in high-impact, community-based interventions targeting youth and women in coal-affected regions.

Equally, we must harness global collaboration, not as a dependency, but as a strategic partnership. South Africa stands to benefit from structured peer learning in countries that have successfully aligned skills development with green industrialisation. This includes technical exchanges, student and lecturer mobility programmes, and international work-based learning placements.

These initiatives will strengthen institutional capacity, transfer innovation, and ensure our system remains globally competitive and locally grounded.

In this context, I would also like to acknowledge the Multi-Donor Initiative (MDI), which we are launching today, a valued partnership that supports the operationalisation of the JET Skills Desk.

This collaboration between the South African Government, the European Union (EU), the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Swiss Confederation, implemented by GIZ, is co-financed by the EU, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and SECO, through Germany’s flagship Career Path Development for Employment (CPD4E) programme.

The ambassadors of the MDI partner countries honour us with their presence today. We deeply appreciate your commitment. The MDI is a strong signal of international confidence in South Africa’s JET Skills agenda and in our capacity to lead.

It reflects the shared belief that South Africa must drive its transition while welcoming strategic and aligned support. While the MDI is not the primary engine of this work, it is an important partner, one we hope will catalyse further local and international co-investment in this national priority.

As we implement the JET Skills Portfolio, our collective focus must remain on unlocking large-scale job creation and enabling inclusive, transformative economic growth. The government must firmly lead this process to success, with strong collaboration from our development partners. The JET Skills Integrated Plan will guide investment, ensure alignment, and help deliver measurable outcomes.

Equity remains central, with special emphasis on historically marginalised groups, especially youth and women. We must build on and scale existing platforms, accelerate delivery, and ensure that our approach is place-based, responsive to local realities, and informed by a future-focused vision.

In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, we need to have focused investment in upskilling and reskilling programmes to build a workforce that is well-prepared to lead the country towards a more sustainable future.

However, this is not merely a skills agenda; it is a nation-building agenda. It is about empowering a new generation of South Africans to lead in renewable energy, green industries, sustainable infrastructure, and beyond.

As we draw close to the G20 Summit in November under South Africa’s Presidency, the goals of the Energy Transition Working Group are in alignment with what we seek to achieve through this launch today, essentially, a multi-disciplinary solutions-oriented intervention whose time has come!

As the country's Deputy President and Chairperson of the HRDC, I pledge the government's full support in ensuring that the JET Skills Portfolio is effectively implemented. I encourage all our partners, public and private, local and global, to act with haste, clarity, and inventiveness to ensure its success.

Let us build a just energy transition that provides real opportunities for our people, fostering a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous South Africa. With these words, I am pleased to announce the launch of the JET Skills Desk and the National JET Skills Advisory Forum.

I Thank You.

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