Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina: Eigth Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting
Ministers, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen.
On behalf of the Republic of South Africa and the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande, it gives me great pleasure to be speaking to you again on the occasion of the 8th Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting to deliberate, gain insights and in-depth knowledge and understanding of our collective efforts toward the realisation of a hydrogen-based society.
Our understanding of a hydrogen-based society is the one that seeks to use the country’s mineral endowment to support industrialisation, decarbonisation, energy security, regional competitiveness, and job creation. We also recognise the potential of the hydrogen economy to play a catalytic role in our country’s just energy transition and simultaneously, stimulate meaningful and inclusive economic growth.
Today we need to reflect on how we continue to use the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting as a platform to leverage our collective resources and competencies to build resilient regional value chains, unlock industrialisation and create sustainable prosperity for our people.
In his State of the Nation Address on 20 June 2019, the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa stated: “We must increase the contribution of renewable and clean energy to our national energy mix and explore the potential of the hydrogen economy”. President Cyril Ramaphosa's further made a call at the recent Africa Green Hydrogen Summit 2025 for the hydrogen sector to move "from PowerPoint to Gigawatts", affirming the consistency and the commitment by the South African government to shift green hydrogen projects from talk and conceptual presentations into real-world, large-scale energy production as well as the need to provide tangible evidence that this transition is underway.
Let me take this opportunity to mention a few recent examples that seeks to outline our country’s commitment in advancing the hydrogen economy agenda through a robust innovation ecosystem focused on green hydrogen:
- The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation in partnership with North West University and Toyota South Africa Motors developed a Mobile Hydrogen Refuelling Station to support the decarbonisation of the transport sector. This milestone represents a notable advancement in hydrogen mobility in South Africa and underscores progress towards establishing an integrated hydrogen value chain.
- The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation in partnership with North West University and African Rainbow Minerals established a Rapid Prototype Training and Testing Facility designed to accelerate the development and scaling of water electrolysis technologies from laboratory to pilot and industrial applications.
- The DSTI in partnership with North West University and Sasol Limited (Sasol) developed a 2kW Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyser System that is installed and currently undergoing testing at one of the Sasol Research and Testing (R&T) laboratories in Sasolburg. This research will provide Sasol with confidence in the locally produced technology and enable Sasol to develop the skills that it needs to contribute to the country’s hydrogen economy agenda.
As a country, we are mindful and aware that we cannot work in silos and as such our work as a country, specifically in the renewable energy and hydrogen fields require strong partnerships among Governments, industry, research institutions, development finance institutions, regional organisations, international partners committed to mutually beneficial collaboration. By working together, we can build competitive regional industries, create quality jobs, strengthen economic resilience and ensure that we build resilient industrial economies and secure meaningful places in global green value chains.
I thank you.
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