Pushing back coal community Exchange
Community alerts/Mmathapelo Thobejane/Ditwebeleng Village/28/07/2019, 10:49 AM] On the 16th July 2019 the following organizations from all over South Africa meet in exchange of pushing back the coal. ( Somkhele, Newcastle, Highveld, Lephalale Fuleni and Sekhukhune)
SEJN was one of the community based organization attending the exchange sponsored by Groundwork.
The focus of the exchange is to use community owned renewable energy sources to build understanding for coal affected communities of the practical alternative energy source in the context of Just Transition and also open a dialogue about Just Transition debate between coal affected communities and the trade unions.
The importance of this exchange is to learn from each other and build solidarity.
There are questions that where given to activist to answer.
1. What is the provencial and national picture on the the issues we are facing as mining affected communities.
*Degradation of the country both from National and Provincial
*Lack of response and blame cycle from our government
*Delaying tactics
*And challenges of political affiliations
2. HOW DID WE GET TO THE CURRENT STATUS
*Capitalism
*Poverty is the source and high rate of demand on electricity
* Lack of information and knowledge
* Population growth
3. What is the picture without mining
Honestly our group see this a challenge because the it will take long for our communities to adapt to the situation. They see gray communities.
4. How can we get out of this
ENERGY
* Renewable energy
Solar
Wind durbles
Biogas
Independent power producers
WATER AVAILABILITY
*Adopt a river and streams
*Rain water haversting
3.FOOD SECURITY
*Roof gardening
*Seed bank
The role we need to play as organization is to mobilise and educate our communities
[07/28, 10:55 AM] Thapz: Day 2
Pushing Back Coal Exchange
We started the day on presentation by Victor Munnik (WITS University)
Giving feedback on the research they contacted this year with activist from Phola, Abba and Witbank. And other 6 researchers from WITS University. Research were based on how the community depends on coal. Activist indicated that people need more information on Just Transition and it will be better if at least one household from those communities can be Renewable energy sources were community will learn that the program is doable.
Presentation by Jasse Burtun from University of Cape Town
On national and international trends in coal
They deal with modeling *Think on important links and see how something change people s life.
*How much people need energy for and link on things that are source of energy.
*800 million tons of coal is much cheaper than coal.
*South Africa expose 73% of coal in 2017.
Renewable energy is much cheaper than coal.
*First 20 years of building coal power station is expensive but it gets more cheaper after sometime.
*Electricity is costing too much because of the new power station that has been established. Thabametsi and Medupi power stations.
*The price of new solar generation is below price of the coal in most of the market.
*S.A must have 0% coal by 2050
The decision of building Medupi and kusile power station was done in 2004 by the government and there was no public participation. And the contract was handed to Eskom.
* We still have an opportunity to change from coal to renewable energy
Transition is coming, how can we make sure is it just and fair.
WHAT IS NEEDED FOR A JUST TRANSITION
* Social dialogue
*National, municipality and other
*Workers transition scheme
* Specific analysis and plan for each worker retirement, payout, new jobs, training
*Local economic resilience and development
*Develop new sectors (Agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing)
*Meet community needs(transport, food security and energy)
*Plan for the future (education and skills programs).
