Mantashe to headline Coal & Energy Transition Day 2026
Industry leaders to examine coal's future, energy transition, logistics bottlenecks and investment at Johannesburg conference
Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, will deliver a keynote address at the 8th edition of Resources for Africa’s Coal & Energy Transition Day, taking place on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 at The Country Club Johannesburg, Auckland Park.
This year’s Coal & Energy Transition Day will focus on the latest developments in the coal sector and the broader energy transition, including the influence of geopolitical factors on energy demand, the future role of coal globally and locally, and South Africa’s pathway towards a lower-carbon energy mix.
Chaired by mining industry veteran Bernard Swanepoel, the event brings together senior representatives from coal producers, government, state-owned entities, independent power producers, investors, legal experts and advisory firms for a highly focused discussion on what the transition means in practice.
The programme opens with conversations with three of South Africa’s leading coal executives: Moses Madondo, CEO of Thungela; Mike Teke, Group CEO of Seriti Resources and Chairman of FutureCoal; and Caroline Shirindza, Executive Head of Coal at Exxaro. The discussions will examine the factors currently shaping coal producers’ strategies, from market demand and infrastructure constraints to investment, regulation and the pace of transition.
Dan Marokane, Group Chief Executive of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, will also deliver a keynote address on Eskom’s perspective on coal and the energy transition, offering insight into the role of the utility in navigating South Africa’s future power mix.
Transport and logistics will be a key area of focus, with a dedicated session on overcoming South Africa’s coal bottlenecks. Led by Raymond Makgota, COO of Seriti Resources, the discussion will feature Theo Johnson, General Manager: Coal Business Unit at Transnet Freight Rail; Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association; Alan Waller, CEO of Richards Bay Coal Terminal; and Dr Maximilian Matschke, Founder and Managing Partner of Anura Partners.
The broader policy and transition discussion will include Alex McNamara of the National Business Initiative, Shamini Harrington of Minerals Council South Africa, James Mackay of the Energy Council and Rivoningo Mnisi of Eskom Renewables, in a session led by Christine Janse van Rensburg, Principal Director at Accenture.
Other sessions will examine financing and unlocking growth in post-coal mining economies, re-engineering coal extraction for a flexible and high-tech energy grid, funding coal and the energy transition, and the growing role of independent power producers, energy traders and market liberalisation.
Speakers include Yamin Yakoob, Executive Advisor at McKinsey & Company; Avhurengwi Nengovhela, CEO of Coaltech Research Association; Dorah Modise, Executive Director of the Presidential Climate Commission; Willie Hattingh, Head: Mining and Resources Advisory at Rand Merchant Bank; Ali Mnisi of the Industrial Development Corporation; Patrycja Kula-Verster of the JSE; Peter Venn, CEO of Seriti Green; Precious Mpepele of Africa GreenCo; Andrew Etzinger of the National Transmission Company South Africa; Mary-Joy Masetlane of the South African Independent Power Producers Association; and Tebogo More of Cennergi.
By bringing the Minister, Eskom, coal producers, investors, logistics players and renewable energy market participants into one room, Coal & Energy Transition Day is positioned to move the debate into the practical questions that will determine South Africa’s energy future.
