South Africa Should Not Rush Move Away From Coal, Minister Says

South Africa Should Not Rush Move Away From Coal, Minister Says
South African Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Mantashe speaks at the 2020 Investing in African Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 3, 2020. Mike Hutchings/Reuters
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JOHANNESBURG—South Africa must manage its transition away from coal-fired power generation systematically and not rush a switch to renewable energy sources, Mining and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said on Thursday.

“I am not saying coal for ever, ... I am saying let’s manage our transition step by step rather than being emotional,” Mantashe told a mining conference, when asked how China’s pledge to not build new coal power stations abroad would affect South Africa.