Northern Cape hailed as green energy pioneer as Ramaphosa urges smarter governance

By Johnathan Paoli

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday hailed the Northern Cape as a key driver of South Africa’s green energy future, citing the province’s ambitious hydrogen and renewable energy strategies as a model for innovation and economic transformation.

Delivering his remarks at an intergovernmental engagement between the National Executive and the Provincial Executive Council held at the Sol Plaatjie University, in Kimberley, Ramaphosa praised the province’s leadership in the green economy, describing it as “South Africa’s emerging powerhouse” and “the new heartbeat of the economy.”

Because it has the world’s highest levels of solar radiation, and plenty of space, the Northern Cape has been dubbed “the South Africa’s Green Hub.”

He said the Northern Cape’s expanding portfolio of solar and green hydrogen projects places it at the centre of the country’s transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy.

The Northern Cape’s Green Hydrogen Strategy, announced at COP26 in 2021, forms