Peter Venn, CEO of Seriti Green, leads South Africa’s Just Energy Transition from planning to delivery. “The time for talk is over. The time for delivery is now.” Picture Credit: Mining Weekly
By Thulane Madalane
Bethal: Seriti Green, a black-owned South African renewable energy company today announced that it has achieved financial close and commenced construction on the third phase of its flagship Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm in Mpumalanga. The project will ultimately deliver over 900 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity across seven phases. The company has already installed 25 wind turbines near Bethal, Davel and Morgenzon.
This marks a major milestone in South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET), with Seriti
Green leading delivery at scale from the heart of the country’s traditional coal region. With turbines in the ground and thousands of people gaining skills and employment, the Just Energy Transition is no longer theoretical but in action.
Seriti Green has successfully closed three 155MW phases (a total of 465MW) in just two years: the initial phase reached financial close in 2024 while the second closed in August 2025.
Peter Venn, CEO of Seriti Green, said: “Wind power in Mpumalanga was once thought impossible. Today, it is a reality. The Just Energy Transition must deliver – and we are doing our best to play our part.”
This third phase has reached financial close through securing long-term funding from
Standard Bank, RMB and ABSA, unlocking full-scale construction. Sim Tshabalala,
CEO of Standard Bank, one of the project’s lead financiers, commented: “We back Seriti Green because they are delivering real, bankable projects aligned with South Africa’s energy and economic priorities. They are the real JET players.”
The first phase of Ummbila Emoyeni (155MW) is almost complete and will begin delivering electricity in early 2026. The full project development comprises five wind farms, one solar photovoltaic (PV) facility and one battery storage facility, making it
South Africa’s largest hybrid renewable energy cluster.
A third of the electricity generated will power Seriti Resources’ mining operations, helping to decarbonise one of the country’s most energy-intensive industries. The remaining two-thirds will be traded via the NOA Group and Energy Exchange of Southern Africa (EXSA), making clean energy accessible to businesses and households nationwide.
Beyond infrastructure, Seriti Green is building a new energy economy rooted in inclusion and impact. On-site employment has reached 1 200 and is expected to grow to 2 000 as construction continues. The company has prioritised diverse hiring, local enterprise development and infrastructure improvements including the construction of
Mpumalanga’s largest new main transmission substation in over 20 years and the upgrade of local roads to support both logistics and long-term access in host communities.
Mike Teke, Chairman of Seriti Green, stated: “This is not just about producing energy.
It’s about restoring dignity, enabling development and ensuring that the communities who powered South Africa through coal are now building its clean energy future.”
Mandla Ndlovu, Premier of Mpumalanga, added: “This province, once defined by coal, is now leading in clean energy. Seriti Green has turned vision into action.”
With more than R15 billion invested, over 2GW of renewable capacity in the Mpumalanga pipeline, and active partnerships with government, financiers and communities, Seriti Green is proving that South Africa’s energy future can be inclusive, ambitious and deliverable.
Peter Venn concluded: “The time for talk is over. The time for delivery is now. At Seriti
Green, we are building infrastructure, creating jobs and proving that the Just Energy
Transition can deliver for South Africa. And there’s so much more that we can, and will, do.”
