Programme Director

Honourable MEC for EDTEA, Rev. Musa Zondi
Mayor for King Cetshwayo District Municipality, Cllr Dlamini
Mayor for uMhlathuze Local Municipality, Cllr Ngwezi
Deputy Mayor for King Cetshwayo District Municipality, Cllr Xulu
Heads of Ministries
Heads of Department
Director-Generals
Acting DDG and DDGs
President of VOPAK South Africa
President of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ms Mvubu
Board Chairpersons
Co-Chair of the KZN Growth Coalition
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Captains of Industry
Board Members
CEOs
Investors and Partners
Senior Government Representatives
Amakhosi AseNdlunkulu
Distinguished Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Morning,
Before I proceed to the substance of my remarks, allow me to briefly reflect on an important moment in the work of the Government of Provincial Unity.

As the 7th Administration, we have resolved that in the first quarter of 2026 we will officially launch the KwaZulu-Natal Secondary Cities Programme. This will be a bold, long-term intervention spanning 30 years, from 2026 to 2056, aimed at transforming a number of strategic urban centres into globally competitive, digitally connected and economically vibrant cities that drive inclusive growth.

The vision guiding this programme is simple but powerful: One Province, Many Engines of Growth. For far too long, the structure of our provincial economy has been highly concentrated, with more than 60 percent of our provincial GDP generated within the Durban metropolitan area. While Durban will always remain our primary economic gateway, the future resilience of KwaZulu-Natal requires that we deliberately build additional centres of growth across the province.

The programme will therefore focus on strategic cities including Newcastle, Richards Bay (uMhlathuze), Pietermaritzburg (Msunduzi), Ladysmith, Port Shepstone, Kokstad, Eshowe, Vryheid and Pongola. Each of these urban centres possesses unique economic capabilities—whether in logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, or the emerging green and digital economies.

It is therefore no coincidence that we gather here today in Richards Bay, one of the most important industrial and logistics hubs in Southern Africa. The discussions taking place at this Energy Indaba are directly aligned with the objectives of the Secondary Cities Programme. Reliable, affordable and sustainable energy will be the lifeblood of the next phase of industrial expansion in cities such as uMhlathuze.

Indeed, if we are to unlock the full potential of our secondary cities, energy security must sit at the centre of our development strategy. The industrial future of Richards Bay, Newcastle and Pietermaritzburg will depend on our collective ability to invest in diversified energy generation, new technologies, and resilient energy infrastructure.

The KwaZulu-Natal Secondary Cities Programme therefore represents more than spatial planning; it is a deliberate strategy to reshape the geography of opportunity in our province. It seeks to spread investment beyond the metropolitan core, stimulate regional economies, and build cities that can attract both domestic and global capital.

Through coordinated planning, catalytic investment and policy certainty, we are confident that KwaZulu-Natal can emerge as a leading African example of balanced regional development—a province united in purpose, powered by many engines of growth.
And in that journey, Richards Bay will undoubtedly stand as one of the key pillars of KwaZulu-Natal’s energy and industrial future.

Distinguish Participants,
Energy is the lifeblood of a modern economy. It powers industry, enables manufacturing, sustains commerce, and supports the daily functioning of households and public services. Without reliable and affordable energy, economic activity slows, investment hesitates, and growth opportunities are constrained. In this sense, energy is not merely a technical sector of the economy; it is a foundational driver of productivity, competitiveness, and inclusive development.
Every factory that produces, every port that exports, and every small business that opens its doors depends on the certainty that energy will be available when it is needed.
For a province such as KwaZulu-Natal, with its strategic ports, growing industrial zones, and expanding secondary cities, energy security is therefore directly linked to our economic future. Reliable power supply strengthens investor confidence, unlocks industrial expansion, and enables innovation in emerging sectors of the green economy.

As we pursue inclusive growth, job creation, and regional development, our energy strategy must therefore be understood not only as an infrastructure priority, but as a central pillar of economic transformation and long-term prosperity for the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
South Africa has, over the past decade, experienced the profound consequences of energy instability. Businesses have faced rising operational uncertainty, households have endured persistent disruptions, and the broader economy has struggled to realise its full growth potential. Energy insecurity has therefore not only been an operational challenge, but a structural constraint on investment, industrial productivity, and job creation.

Yet within this challenge lies a significant opportunity. Moments of constraint often compel innovation and structural reform, and it is precisely in this context that regions with the right assets can play a catalytic role in shaping the country’s energy future. KwaZulu-Natal possesses several strategic advantages that position our province to contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s energy security.

Our province is home to major ports, world-class industrial zones, strong logistics networks, and a growing manufacturing base that together create a powerful platform for energy sector investment and expansion.
Richards Bay in particular stands at the centre of this opportunity. Through the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone, we are creating an enabling environment for new energy investments ranging from renewable energy manufacturing and green hydrogen production to gas-to-power initiatives and advanced energy storage solutions.

Indeed, energy projects already represent more than 77% of the RBIDZ investment pipeline, with the majority focused on gas-to-power plants.
This translates into approximately R123 billion of the R140 billion total investment pipeline within the zone — a clear indication that Richards Bay is emerging as a critical node in strengthening South Africa’s future energy security while driving industrial growth in our province.
As the Province, we acknowledge and welcome the announcements and initiatives led by the Minister of Electricity and Energy, particularly the bold ambition to position the Richards Bay region as one of Africa’s leading energy hubs. This vision is already supported by strong investor demand and a growing pipeline of strategic energy projects.
We are encouraged that the 3000 MW gas-to-power development project earmarked for Richards Bay continues to move forward despite certain setbacks. Once realised, this project has the potential to significantly stabilise KwaZulu-Natal’s electricity system, while also contributing meaningfully to the national energy supply and strengthening the resilience of South Africa’s broader energy architecture.
Distinguish Participants,

Energy and industrial development are inseparable. Affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is the catalyst that enables industries to expand, innovate and compete in a rapidly evolving global economy. The development of energy-related industries within our Special Economic Zones, particularly here in Richards Bay, will unlock enormous potential for beneficiation, manufacturing and technological advancement.
We are already witnessing the foundations of a new industrial ecosystem emerging—one that integrates energy generation, advanced manufacturing, logistics and export-oriented industries. This ecosystem will support emerging sectors such as green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, renewable energy component manufacturing, battery and energy storage solutions, as well as gas and petrochemical value chains. In building these industries locally, we are not only strengthening South Africa’s energy resilience, but also laying the foundation for a new era of industrial growth and economic transformation in KwaZulu-Natal.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the global energy transition will not succeed without the right skills. Infrastructure, technology, and investment alone are not sufficient.

The real foundation of any sustainable energy economy lies in people — in the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of the workforce that will design, build, operate, and maintain the systems that power our future. If we are serious about positioning KwaZulu-Natal as a leading energy hub, we must therefore place human capital development at the centre of our strategy.
The technologies that will shape the future energy economy — gas-to-power systems, green hydrogen, renewable energy technologies, battery storage solutions, and even advanced nuclear systems — require a highly skilled and adaptable workforce.
These are not traditional industries alone; they represent complex technological ecosystems that demand engineers, technicians, data specialists, artisans, project managers, and innovators capable of operating at the frontier of modern energy systems. For this reason, skills development and technology transfer must become central pillars of our provincial energy agenda.
Importantly, the growth of the energy sector also presents a powerful opportunity to address one of the most pressing challenges facing our society — unemployment, particularly among young people. The energy economy is not only about megawatts and infrastructure; it is also about jobs, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic participation.

Across the world, the expansion of renewable energy, gas infrastructure, hydrogen technologies, and energy storage systems has created entirely new categories of employment. These industries require a diverse range of skills — from highly specialised engineers and researchers to electricians, welders, instrumentation technicians, logistics specialists, and construction workers.
KwaZulu-Natal must position itself to capture these future jobs. The development of energy infrastructure in Richards Bay and across the province should therefore be accompanied by deliberate programmes that prepare our people to participate meaningfully in this emerging sector. If we succeed, the energy transition will not only power our economy — it will also become a major driver of employment and social mobility for thousands of young South Africans.
This is why the provincial government is prioritising stronger partnerships between government, universities, technical colleges, and industry. The task before us requires a coordinated ecosystem of education, training, and research institutions that can respond to the evolving demands of the energy sector. Our universities must expand their focus on energy engineering, environmental science, hydrogen technologies, and advanced manufacturing. At the same time, our Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges must play an equally important role in producing the artisans and technicians who will build and maintain the infrastructure of the new energy economy.

Institutions such as the University of Zululand and the Mangosuthu University of Technology are strategically positioned to contribute meaningfully to this effort. Located within the broader economic corridor that includes Richards Bay, these institutions can serve as centres of excellence in energy research, engineering innovation, and technology development. Working alongside our network of TVET colleges across the province, they can help ensure that the pipeline of skills required for the energy economy is both deep and sustainable.
However, government and educational institutions cannot do this alone. The private sector must also play a central role in developing the human capital required for this transformation. Investment in energy projects must therefore go hand in hand with structured programmes for knowledge transfer, apprenticeships, internships, and local skills development.
International investors and technology partners who participate in our energy projects must see themselves not only as builders of infrastructure, but also as partners in building the next generation of South African expertise.
Technology transfer is particularly important. As new energy technologies enter our markets — whether in hydrogen production, renewable component manufacturing, or advanced gas systems — it is critical that local professionals and technicians are given the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and experience required to operate and maintain these systems independently. Over time, this will allow our province not only to host energy infrastructure, but also to develop the capacity to innovate, manufacture, and export energy technologies.

This approach is aligned with a broader vision of industrialisation and economic transformation. By building strong local capabilities in energy-related skills, KwaZulu-Natal can position itself as a centre for energy innovation and manufacturing on the African continent. Our young engineers can design systems, our artisans can build them, and our entrepreneurs can create new businesses within the energy value chain. In this way, the energy transition becomes not only a response to an immediate challenge, but a long-term platform for economic renewal.
Programme Director, every major economic transformation in history has been driven by a combination of infrastructure and human capability. Railways required engineers and metalworkers. The digital economy required software developers and data scientists. The emerging energy economy will require a new generation of energy professionals who are skilled, adaptable, and globally competitive.

For this reason, when we build energy infrastructure, we must also build human capability. When we invest in power generation, we must also invest in education and training. And when we speak about the future of energy, we must always remember that the most important resource any economy possesses is its people.
If we get this right, the energy projects we are discussing today will not only power our industries and stabilise our electricity system. They will also empower a new generation of young people in KwaZulu-Natal with the skills, opportunities, and confidence to shape the future energy economy of our province, our country, and our continent.
Distinguished Participants,

South Africa has committed itself to the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan, a national framework designed to guide the country toward a lower-carbon energy system while ensuring that workers, communities, and industries are not left behind. At its core, the Just Energy Transition is grounded in a simple but powerful principle: that climate action must also be socially and economically just.
As we respond to the urgent realities of climate change and energy insecurity, we must ensure that the transition strengthens our society rather than deepening inequality. In other words, the path toward cleaner energy must also be a path toward inclusive growth, dignity, and shared prosperity.
However, as we pursue this transition, we must also confront a practical and necessary question: what does a Just Energy Transition mean for provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal? Our provincial economy is highly industrialised and deeply integrated into global production networks.
Our manufacturing sectors — including aluminium smelting, chemicals, logistics, and heavy industry — rely heavily on reliable and affordable electricity in order to remain competitive. If the transition to new energy systems is poorly sequenced, inadequately financed, or implemented without due consideration for industrial realities, it could place significant pressure on key sectors that sustain jobs and economic activity in our province.

For this reason, the Just Energy Transition in the context of KwaZulu-Natal must be guided by three critical principles.
First, energy security must remain the foundation of the transition. Without reliable electricity, economic growth slows, investment declines, and unemployment rises. A successful transition must therefore ensure that new energy systems strengthen the stability and resilience of our power supply.
Second, industrial competitiveness must be protected. The transition should reinforce — not weaken — the productive sectors of our economy. Our industries must remain globally competitive even as they adapt to new energy technologies and lower-carbon production processes.
Third, the transition must create new economic opportunities for our people. New energy industries must generate jobs, support entrepreneurship, and expand opportunities for young people entering the labour market. A transition that reduces emissions but fails to expand opportunity would fall short of being truly just.
These are the principles by which the success of the transition must ultimately be measured.

The Just Energy Transition must therefore be about more than simply reducing carbon emissions. It must also be about expanding economic opportunity and unlocking new avenues for industrial development. KwaZulu-Natal is well positioned to lead in this regard.
Through the continued development of energy infrastructure in Richards Bay, the expansion of renewable energy corridors, and the strengthening of energy innovation ecosystems within our universities and research institutions, our province has the potential to become a national hub for next-generation energy technologies.
We see significant opportunities emerging across a range of sectors. These include green hydrogen production and export, gas infrastructure and LNG terminals, renewable energy manufacturing value chains, battery storage technologies, electric mobility and charging infrastructure, and the decarbonisation of heavy industry. Together, these sectors have the potential to attract billions of rands in investment while creating thousands of skilled jobs for our people.

However, realising this potential will require deep and sustained collaboration.
Government alone cannot solve the energy challenge. The scale of the transition requires partnership between the public sector, private investors, research institutions, labour, communities, and traditional leadership. It requires a shared commitment to innovation, investment, and responsible development. Platforms such as this Energy Indaba are therefore critically important, because they create space for dialogue, partnership, and collective problem-solving.
Over the course of this Indaba, we expect robust and forward-looking discussions on several important issues: how to accelerate energy infrastructure investment; how to strengthen provincial participation in evolving energy markets; how to mobilise development finance and co-funding for large-scale energy projects; how to support independent power producers; and how to build local manufacturing capacity in renewable and emerging energy technologies.
We also encourage investors and industry leaders gathered here today to explore the opportunities available within our Special Economic Zones and industrial development corridors. These platforms provide an enabling environment for large-scale energy investments through supportive regulatory frameworks, logistics advantages, and strong institutional partnerships.

In conclusion, the choices we make today about energy will shape the trajectory of our economy for decades to come. If we approach this moment with ambition, partnership, and strategic foresight, KwaZulu-Natal can emerge not only as a consumer of energy, but as a producer, innovator, and exporter of the energy technologies that will power the future.
The task before us is therefore clear: to ensure that the transition to a new energy economy is not only environmentally responsible, but also economically transformative and socially just.
And I believe that together, we have both the capacity and the resolve to achieve precisely that.

Programme Director, the world is undergoing a profound energy transformation. Those regions that act with vision, urgency, and strategic coordination will lead the new energy economy. KwaZulu-Natal possesses the geographic advantage, industrial capability, and human capital to stand among those leaders.
Our task is clear: to secure energy for our people, power our industries, protect our environment, and build a resilient and inclusive economy. Let this inaugural Energy Indaba be more than a conversation — let it be a turning point that mobilises investment, innovation, and partnership in shaping our province’s energy future.
I therefore call upon all delegates, investors, and partners gathered here today to join us in this mission. Together, let us build an energy system that is reliable, competitive, and sustainable for generations to come.

I thank you.