Despite a global push towards renewable energy, on which South Africa is well-placed to capitalise, coal seems to be making a comeback in South Africa.
Earlier this week Thungela Resources announced it had delivered 13.6-million tonnes of export saleable coal production last year, up from 12.2-million tonnes the year before, as long-embattled Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) improved its performance. TFR railed a total of 51.9-million tonnes of coal for the mining industry in 2024, up from 47.9-million tonnes a year as its operations ramped up after a maintenance shutdown in July.
Meanwhile, coal producer Exxaro, who named former Lonmin CEO Ben Magara as its new CEO, announced it transported 1.9-million tonnes of export volumes via the alternative Maputo corridor last year.
All this would've no doubt pleased mineral and petroleum resources minister Gwede Mantashe, long an advocate for the fossil fuels and a former coal miner himself.
This week Daily Maverick reported that Seriti Resources launch its new Naudesbank Colliery near Carolina in Mpumalanga.
“King Coal is back!” Mantashe gushed to the publication, suggesting that more collieries were in the pipeline. “We are still mining coal aggressively everywhere where we find it. There is no limitation.”
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