South Africa's Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, has been accused of failing to support the country's energy transition by not signing a billion-dollar green hydrogen deal in partnership with the Netherlands and Denmark. The opposition party criticized Mantashe for his absence and called for his removal from office. The move has reignited discussions on the country's shift towards cleaner energy amidst a power crisis and frequent outages. Infighting within the government, historically supported by labour unions representing mine workers, has complicated the transition process. Mantashe reportedly refused to sign a memorandum of understanding on the deal, prompting concerns about hindering the necessary rapid and just energy transition. The energy ministry defended Mantashe's absence, stating that he had not seen the memorandum and could not sign something he hadn't reviewed. The blended finance fund aims to accelerate the development of a green hydrogen sector and circular economy. While Mantashe has previously shown support for the coal lobby, citing economic damage and job losses, South Africa has secured significant international funding to facilitate its green transition as one of the world's major carbon emitters. The country heavily relies on coal for approximately 80% of its electricity from aging coal-fired power plants.