The UK High Commission (embassy) in Pretoria reported on Wednesday that that country’s Minister (equivalent to Deputy Minister in South Africa) for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Vicky Ford, had visited South Africa on Monday and Tuesday. The visit had focused on the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), women’s economic empowerment, and trade, as well as other areas of mutual interest.

The JETP was unveiled at the COP26 United Nations climate conference in November last year. Under it, the UK, France, Germany, the US and the European Union have committed to provide an initial $8.5-billion to fund a just transition of South Africa’s energy matrix from its current reliance on ‘dirty’ energy to green energy in the future. The actual transition plan will, however, be South African-led.   

“The UK and South Africa are long-established partners whose modern friendship is based on our profound shared values of freedom and democracy,” stated Ford. “This week I have seen first-hand how our two countries are working together to deliver South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy, including through the groundbreaking [JETP].”

She met with South African International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Alvin Botes. They reviewed developments across the entire spectrum of relations between the two countries, since the last (twelfth) SA-UK Bilateral Forum, which took place in May last year.

Regarding climate change and the just transition in particular, she also met with the Presidential Climate Commission and representatives of trade unions. Further, she was briefed by the Energy Intensive Users Group, who consume more than 40% of South Africa’s electricity and generate more than 20% of the country’s gross domestic product, about how the member companies planned to be leaders in the energy transition.

“Our wide-ranging partnerships are making a real difference in peoples’ lives and livelihoods,” she highlighted. “I was delighted to visit BluLever Education to see how UK support is empowering young women through skills development, and the Wetility project, which is supporting the green transition and creating jobs with the support of high-quality, reliable UK investment.”  

BluLever is an education startup, which offers young people three-year paid apprenticeships in artisan vocations that are in-demand, thereby helping them access high-quality jobs. Wetility, supported by UK Climate Finance Investment, has been ‘enhancing’ the production of solar power.

Minister Ford also visited the Gauteng provincial government’s economic ‘War Room’ to learn about the province’s plans to work with industry to achieve green reindustrialisation through the development of zero-carbon energy.