The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) sees the just energy transition (JET) as one of the turning points in South African history. So affirmed PCC employment strategy head Devan Pillay. He was speaking in a panel discussion at the Windaba 2024 conference, being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The JET, he said, allowed the country to turn the tide of economic decline that had engulfed the country since 2010. But what did just transition mean? The PCC defined it as simply “achieving a decent life for all”. But, in doing this, decision-making became key. As decisions affected people, they had to benefit from them.

He further noted that the JET affected specific sectors. The question was, how to transition workers from these affected sectors into the new JET sectors? He highlighted that the JET was not just about skilling for the renewable-energy sector, but about skilling across the entire economy.

Further, regarding economic development, there was a need to look at the local level, and develop skills accordingly. The skills that already existed at the local level had to be identified, and then linked to JET programmes.

“Ultimately, implementation happens at a locality,” agreed Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority CEO Mpho Mookapele, speaking in the same discussion. Each locality had its own needs and its own dynamics.

Although skills are very important, “[s]kills don’t create jobs”, she warned. “Skills are not jobs.”

National Business Initiative (NBI) programme manager: economic inclusion Abigail Khuluse, also participating on the panel, observed that her organisation had an insight into the business sector’s plans to move to a low carbon economy. This meant that the NBI also had an insight into the skills that would be required to achieve the JET. They were now seeking to apply this data to individual localities.

She further reported that they were also seeking to apply the data across the entire value chain. What were the opportunities in that value chain? What skills would be required across the value chain? What jobs would be created? These insights would then be applied to local communities – what new skills would they need? What skills did they already have, that could be upgraded?