New report reveals who is really making money through South Africa’s R1.76 trillion clean energy drive

Launched on 26 June 2025, The Climate Consultants by civil society organisation Open Secrets uncovers how management consultants, often linked to the very donor countries funding the transition, are cashing in on the climate crisis.

Broadly speaking, South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET) seeks to reduce reliance on coal while ensuring a fair and low-carbon transition that safeguards affected workers and communities.

The country’s JET Investment Plan stated that approximately $100 billion (R1.76 trillion) is required for a just transition in the country.

Thus far, around $12.8 billion (R225.69 billion) in international finance has been pledged, with just 6% of it being grants.

As South Africa becomes the first Global South country to sign a formal partnership with international donors, the report highlights that key policies are increasingly being shaped by consultants driven by profit, not public interest.

The investigation revealed that nearly two-thirds of the grant funding earmarked for the just transition ultimately goes to private firms and foreign institutions, while less than a quarter reaches local NGOs, public entities, or universities.

“The central role of management consultants in providing advice on our energy transition is a fundamental threat to our democracy,” said Michael Marchant, Head of Investigations at Open Secrets and co-author of the report.

“In part, this is because of the absence of any transparency in how management consultants work, and how this secrecy breeds impunity.”

“But it is also because the state’s reliance on consultants undermines state capacity in the long run and allows the capture of policy spaces by corporate interests that are intimately tied to fossil fuel interests.”

“Where the voices and interests of the public are sidelined, the risk is heightened,” he added.

Wielding immense influence

The civil society organisation’s investigation unpacks how consulting firms have come to play a central role in shaping South Africa’s response to the climate and energy crises.

Whether through their work with the country’s largest fossil fuel companies and banks, or through contracts with public institutions and government agencies, this influence persists despite significant conflicts of interest.

The report reveals that management consultants, influential in government and business, often operate without accountability and are linked to corruption.

The civil society organisation warns that, despite a troubling track record in South Africa and globally, private consulting firms have been allowed to dominate climate and just transition advisory roles with minimal oversight.

“Open Secrets believes that it is vital to shine a light on the roles played by these consulting firms and to critically assess their impact on South Africa’s pursuit of a just transition,” said Zen Mathe, Investigator at Open Secrets and co-author of the report.

She added that South Africa’s recent experience with major consulting firms implicated in state capture, and their failure to fully account for their role, serves as a stark reminder of the need for greater scrutiny.

Open Secrets stresses that when consultants wield influence over matters of vital public interest, such as climate policy and economic reform, their actions must be held to the highest standards of accountability, said the civil society organisation.

The report urges a public reckoning with the growing influence of unelected consultants and emphasises the importance of ensuring they are held accountable.

It calls for a closer examination of how their role is shaping South Africa’s push for a just and inclusive energy transition.

Issued on BusinessTech by Seth Thorne | https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/829532/new-report-reveals-who-is-really-making-money-through-south-africas-r1-76-trillion-clean-energy-drive/