The University of the Free State (UFS) will play a leading role in strengthening local government capacity for climate transition after a UFS-led consortium secured a R10 million grant from UK Pact (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions).
The consortium is led by Prof Hlamalani Ngwenya, head of the research chair in communication for innovation at the UFS, and Dr Anathi Makamane, lecturer in agricultural extension in the department of sustainable food systems and development.
The UK Pact is a flagship programme within the United Kingdom’s International Climate Finance (ICF) portfolio, and is jointly governed and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
The grant agreement was officially signed late last year, marking the start of a 12-month project titled “Domestication of the Climate Change Act and Climate Finance Readiness in the Free State and Ba-Phalaborwa”.
Fast-tracking the Climate Change Act at local level
According to Ngwenya, the project presents a rare opportunity to accelerate the implementation of South Africa’s Climate Change Act at the municipal level.
“Normally, it takes years for a national act to meaningfully trickle down to the local level. The Climate Change Act was only enacted in 2024, and this project offers a strategic opportunity for the UFS to fast-track its domestication.
“It positions the two participating municipalities to be among the first in South Africa to operationalise the act, placing local government at the forefront of climate legislation implementation rather than at the end of the pipeline,” she said.
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The project aims to equip municipalities with the tools, skills, and systems required to translate the Climate Change Act into practical, community-level action.
Prof Johan van Niekerk, vice-dean of the faculty of natural and agricultural sciences at the UFS, said the project highlights the value of cross-sector collaboration.
“This project demonstrates the power of collaboration between academia, government, and civil society. By combining global expertise with local knowledge, we are building climate-resilient, future-ready municipalities,” he said.
Municipalities that will benefit
The project will be implemented in two municipalities with contrasting but complementary economic contexts. Matjhabeng Local Municipality in the Free State, a former mining area that has diversified into agriculture, offers important lessons in adaptation and economic reinvention. Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality in Limpopo represents a mining-based economy facing the pressures associated with South Africa’s transition to low-carbon development.
Ngwenya also acknowledged the contributions of teams whose work often remains behind the scenes.
“When working on proposals of this nature, the names of consortium partners are visible, but there are teams whose significant efforts remain largely unseen.
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