Just Access: The Real Transition - Episode 6: From Below

Just Access: The Real Transition is a 10-part podcast series from PARI (the Public Affairs Research Institute) exploring what a truly just transition means for South Africa, not only in energy policy, but in access to land, water, power, decision-making and economic opportunity.

Episode 6 shifts the focus from the state to the ground, asking what the transition looks like when communities begin to lead it themselves.

While policy remains uncertain and institutional reform lags, the transition is already unfolding in everyday life. In this episode, Tasneem Essop speaks with researcher Mahlatse Rampedi, whose work explores energy poverty, affordability and community-level experiences in coal-affected regions.

The conversation reveals a different story to the one often told in policy debates. Far from resisting change, many communities are actively engaging with the transition, experimenting with new technologies, forming cooperatives, and building local solutions that prioritise livelihoods, inclusion and sustainability. Grassroots organisations are not only educating communities about the transition, but also pushing for local ownership, transparency and fair distribution of benefits.

At the heart of this episode is a broader understanding of the just transition as systems change, not just climate change. For communities, this means rethinking the entire economic and social model, from access to energy and affordability, to jobs, training, gender equity and democratic participation.

The episode also highlights the key fault lines of energy justice, affordability, ownership and voice. Without reforms to tariff structures, municipal finance models and minimum access thresholds, energy poverty risks being reproduced, even in a renewable future. At the same time, meaningful participation is not optional, it is essential to building trust and ensuring that communities are not excluded from decisions that shape their futures.

Episode 6 makes a clear argument, the just transition is already happening from below. The question is whether policy and institutions will catch up, and whether the transition will ultimately be shaped by people, not just plans.

Subscribe to follow the full series, and to learn more about PARI and their research, visit www.pari.org.za