Critical insights and questions for localisation and decent employment Ghana’s renewable energy transition presents an opportunity not only to decarbonise the energy mix, but to reshape production networks, strengthen local enterprises, and expand decent work. This policy scan examines whether…
Critical insights and questions for localisation and decent employment South Africa’s renewable energy transition is unfolding within a complex landscape shaped by climate commitments, deep socio-economic inequality, energy insecurity, and structural unemployment. This policy scan provides a systematic review of…
This document provides a continental overview of renewable energy and electricity systems in sub-Saharan Africa, situating the energy transition within the region’s development realities. Rather than presenting a normative framework, it maps the structural features, constraints, and trends shaping Africa’s…
Gender Equity and Sustainable Livelihoods in Renewable Energy Value Chains A conceptual framework through a social reproduction lens As countries transition toward renewable energy and net zero emissions, participation in Renewable Energy Value Chains (REVCs) presents both opportunities and risks,…
This conceptual framework underpins a multi-country research project examining how renewable energy industrialisation can advance a just energy transition in South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya. At its core, the framework investigates whether, and under what conditions, the localisation of renewable…
2025 at the IEJ: A Year of Impact The IEJ’s 2025 Year-in-Review highlights a year of intensified engagement and strategic impact across economic justice, climate finance, and social protection. This year was defined by South Africa’s historic G20 Presidency, where…
Why Wealth Taxes Matter in South Africa South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. A small elite controls a disproportionate share of national wealth, while poverty and hunger affect millions. At the same time, fiscal…
South Africa is full of myths about Universal Basic Income, that it makes people lazy, that it’s unaffordable, or that it’s no different from existing grants. The truth is very different. UBI is not charity, it’s justice. It’s a system…
Universal Basic Income is no longer a fringe idea. It’s a serious, necessary response to South Africa’s deep inequality, unemployment, and broken safety nets. It’s also a simple truth: everyone deserves the basics. Universal basic income. No one left behind…
IEJ's Siyanda Baduza answers your questions South Africa’s social safety net is full of holes; millions are still trapped in poverty, hunger is rising, and too many people are excluded. This. Isn’t. Working. That’s why we’re calling for Universal Basic…