How does a development model shape energy policy? A case of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition and the National Development Plan

The objective of this study is to thematically examine how South Africa can achieve its Just Energy Transition plan through a developmental state model. The heart of the argument reclines in assessing the country’s capacity to see through a fair and inclusive just energy transition. The capacity of South Africa to discern a just energy transition is prudently located between the type of state model South Africa (liberal and socialist state model) retains and the kind of state model (developmental state) it aspires to be through the National Development Plan. The research seeks to investigate how the two development models can either endorse or impede the country’s just energy transition strategies and thus gauge the country’s capacity to realize a just energy transition. South Africa has developed a Just Energy Transition plan to rigorously facilitate the country’s energy transition from coal to cleaner energy sources. This qualitative desktop study adopts an empirical and thematic research design. The key finding in this research suggests that development models extensively influence how an energy policy can be apprehended. Moreover, the JUST part of the transition is the most prominent factor.