South Africa’s renewable energy industry has welcomed president Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), saying it supports the aspects that drive growth and progress in the sector.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa delivered the 2025 SONA before a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament – the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces – marking the first SONA of the seventh term of Parliament.
In his speech, the president said South Africa now needs to build on innovative programmes to create jobs for youth at an even greater scale.
“To create jobs, we must leverage our unique strengths and our unrealised potential to build the industries of the future – green manufacturing, renewable energy, electric vehicles and the digital economy,” he said.
“We are harnessing the sun and the wind to make our country a leader in renewable energy and green manufacturing. With an abundance of cheap, green energy, we can produce products that are competitive anywhere in the world and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the process. We are making sustainable use of the rich abundance of the South African earth.”
Ramaphosa added that government will mobilise private sector investment in the country’s transmission network to connect more renewable energy to the grid.
“The measures we have implemented through the Energy Action Plan have reduced the severity and frequency of load-shedding, with more than 300 days without load-shedding since March 2024,” said the president.
“While the return of load-shedding for two days was a reminder that our energy supply is still constrained, we remain on a positive trajectory. We now need to put the risk of load-shedding behind us once and for all, by completing the reform of our energy system to ensure long-term energy security.”
Energy policy progress
SA has experienced years of significant power shortages due to the aging infrastructure of state-owned utility Eskom and an overreliance on coal-fired power plants. This led to load-shedding, creating urgency for alternative energy solutions.
The country is actively developing its renewable energy sector, as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and address energy shortages. It has also pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Agreement.
Commenting on Ramaphosa’s speech, renewable energy industry body, the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA), says the focus on energy reform and infrastructure investment, particularly in grid infrastructure, aligns with the mission to accelerate solar PV and drive broader renewable energy adoption.
“We share the vision of positioning South Africa as a leader in renewable energy and green manufacturing. With abundant, affordable green energy, we can produce globally-competitive products and create more jobs in the process,” says Dr Rethabile Melamu, CEO of SAPVIA.
“We commend progress made in energy policy, particularly the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act, which paves the way for a competitive electricity market. We need to outline clear action plans for acceleration of private sector investment and the development transmission infrastructure to integrate increased number of renewable energy projects,” she adds.
SAPVIA says it also supports the commitment for skills development and localisation of renewable energy components where the country has comparative and competitive advantage, leveraging other economic benefits of the growing renewable energy sector.
“To secure a sustainable energy future, we call for decisive action to implement reforms, incentivise rooftop solar adoption, and strengthen public-private collaboration. Now is the time to unlock SA’s full renewable energy potential,” comments Melamu.
Secure power
“As South Africa navigates its energy transition, the State of the Nation Address was a crucial moment to reaffirm the country’s commitment to unlocking renewable energy at scale,” says Alberto Gambacorta, general manager (Sub-Saharan Africa) for renewable energy company Scatec.
“With an urgent need to address energy security, accelerate private sector participation and enhance grid infrastructure, policy certainty and streamlined procurement processes will be key,” he adds.
Gambacorta points out that the renewable energy sector stands ready to support SA’s ambitions by delivering sustainable, cost-effective power solutions.
“By enabling faster deployment of projects through regulatory efficiencies and investment-friendly policies, we can unlock the full potential of solar, wind and battery storage to drive economic growth and energy resilience.
“Scatec remains committed to partnering with SA in this journey, leveraging our experience in delivering large-scale renewable projects that contribute to a cleaner and more stable energy future,” he concludes.
Share