Photo: Seriti Green
Three years after Seriti Green pledged R4.5 billion towards renewable-energy development, 25 wind turbines are now turning across the Mpumalanga landscape and supplying electricity commercially.
Seriti Green, the renewable-energy subsidiary of coal producer Seriti Resources, announced its Ummbila Emoyeni project in 2023. The project is a large-scale hybrid renewable-energy development comprising wind and solar generation supported by battery storage.
The company initially pledged R4.5 billion towards the development at the South African Investment Conference. Investment has since grown to approximately R15 billion, while a further R10 billion commitment has taken the total planned investment to R25 billion.
On 31 July 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa officially launched commercial operations at the Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Farm near Bethal.
Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the South African Investment Conference. Photo: Seriti Green
The President said the development showed that Mpumalanga, traditionally regarded as South Africa’s coal-powered energy heartland, also had significant renewable-energy potential.
The first phase of the project comprises 25 wind turbines situated between Bethal, Davel and Morgenzon. Together, they provide 155MW of generation capacity and represent the first operational wind-energy facility in Mpumalanga.
The operational wind farm is only the beginning. Ummbila Emoyeni is planned as a renewable-energy complex exceeding 900MW across several phases, comprising approximately 750MW of wind power, 150MW of solar power and 800MWh of battery-storage capacity.
Wind turbines at the Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Facility between Bethal, Davel and Morgenzon. Photo: Ummbila Emoyeni
The development has created employment and training opportunities in communities surrounding Bethal, Davel and Morgenzon.
More than 1,200 jobs were created during the construction of Phase 1, while approximately 2,100 people have contributed to the broader development. About half of the jobs created reportedly went to people living within 10km of the project.
Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn said the company’s future expansion must continue to place workers and communities at the centre of the transition.
“Our priority is to deliver that growth safely while keeping the ‘just’ in the Just Energy Transition absolutely central to our mission,” Venn said.
According to Venn, the focus will remain on local employment, skills development, enterprise opportunities and community development as additional phases are constructed.
As Ramaphosa remarked at the launch:
“For generations, Mpumalanga has powered South Africa, and now it is paving the way to a new future.”