MEDIA ADVISORY: PCC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON KOMATI POWER STATION REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

MEDIA ADVISORY

19 August 2025

CLIMATE COMMISSION TO HOST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON KOMATI POWER STATION REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), in partnership with the Komati Community Steering Committee (Ward 4, Steve Tshwete Local Municipality) and the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs (DARDLEA), will on Thursday, 21 August 2025, host a community feedback session in Komati, Middelburg.

Eskom’s Komati Power Station (KPS) was gradually decommissioned between 2018 and 2022 due to it reaching the end of its economic life rather than the country’s decarbonisation agenda. Whilst Eskom has redeployed staff to other power stations, the closure of the power station devastated the local economy in Komati.

Recognising the broader implications for South Africa’s Just Transition, President Ramaphosa tasked the PCC in 2023 to examine the closure process. The PCC’s findings, published in the November 2023 report Early Lessons and Recommendations from Komati’s Decommissioning and Repurposing Project, led to the launch of the Komati Redevelopment Initiative, aimed a co-creating multistakeholder responses to the socio-economic impact of the closure on the local and regional economy.

The Community Consultation meeting follows the publication of the PCC’s 2nd Komati Report titled Komati’s Just Transition: Assessing progress, challenges, and lessons, which provides a comprehensive assessment since the decommissioning, including efforts to support immediate and long-term interventions for economic rejuvenation and social development of the Komati node.

This feedback session provides a platform to share key findings from the PCC's work and other role players involved in Komati, to reflect on lessons learned, and collaboratively identify solutions that can promote sustainable and inclusive development for Komati and beyond.

The media is invited to cover the meeting. The details are as follows:

Date: 21 August 2025

Time: 10:00 – 14:00

Venue: Jesus Our Glory Church – Blinkpan Village, in Komati

Media enquiries: Ignicious Masilela on ignicious@climatecommission.org.za or 071 960 5317.

The community engagement will be livestreamed on the PCC Facebook page channels on the links below:

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/climatecommission

For all post-media interviews, please contact: Blessing Manale, Head of Communications and Outreach blessing@climatecommission.org.za +27 73 036 5381.

Issued by the Presidential Climate Commission