Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa

The Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is the national government department responsible for formulating and implementing policy governing South Africa’s mineral and energy resources. The Ministry plays a central role in ensuring the sustainable development, regulation, and transformation of the country’s mining and energy sectors in support of inclusive economic growth and energy security.

The DMRE oversees policy and regulatory frameworks across key resource areas, including mining, petroleum, electricity, renewable energy, and energy transition initiatives. Its mandate includes promoting responsible resource extraction, facilitating investment, supporting industrial development, and advancing South Africa’s transition toward a diversified and lower-carbon energy mix.

For energy investors, the Ministry is a key institutional authority shaping licensing regimes, policy certainty, market reforms, and national energy planning, including integrated resource planning and infrastructure development. Through its oversight of state-owned entities and collaboration with private sector stakeholders, the DMRE aims to balance investor confidence with national development priorities, environmental stewardship, and socio-economic transformation.

The Ministry’s work is guided by South Africa’s long-term development objectives, regional energy cooperation goals, and global commitments related to climate change, energy access, and sustainable development.