PRETORIA: Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe stated at a coal colloquium in Pretoria that while South Africa is committed to a transition to cleaner energy, coal would continue to be important for the country's economic growth and job creation for some time.

According to media reports, Mantashe said coal accounted for around 70% of primary energy consumption, 75% of electricity generation, and 30% of petroleum liquid fuels in the country's energy mix.

"Coal's role to energy security, considerable contribution to the gross domestic product, huge workforce, and other relevant economic concerns must all be addressed in the transition. These national interests cannot be overlooked in our climate change strategy. They must be incorporated into our strategies to transition from high to low carbon emissions "Mantashe remarked.

He urged industry leaders to show their commitment to a just transition and the country's national interests in coal mining and power plants. He said, the country has the ability to export coal to China.

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