Driver of Green Transformation: Connective Cities Expert Mission in Waterberg

From 8 to 12 June 2026, Connective Cities, in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the Waterberg District Municipality, organised an international expert mission on economic transition and green industrial development at the municipal level. The mission brought together municipal representatives, researchers, and experts from industry and practice from South Africa (SALGA, Waterberg District Municipality, and the local municipalities of Lephalale and Mogalakwena), Germany (the Economic Development Agencies of the Cities of Karlsruhe and Heilbronn, as well as the Baden-Württemberg RegioClusterAgency), Namibia (Lüderitz Town Council), and Kenya (the County Government of Nakuru). Participants exchanged experiences, discussed shared challenges, and explored the opportunities that the emerging green hydrogen economy—based on the production of hydrogen using renewable energy sources—offers for local and regional development.

The mission formed part of broader efforts for the Just Energy Transition and complemented the work of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Municipal Council (JETMC), which is strengthening municipal readiness for a shift toward cleaner and more sustainable energy systems. Through policy discussions, technical presentations, and site visits to strategic infrastructure such as the Eskom Matimba Power Station and Exxaro Solar Power Station, participants gained valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing regions transitioning from coal-dependent industries.

Central themes of the mission were the role of green hydrogen in driving local economic development, industrial diversification, and job creation. Waterberg District Municipality highlighted the importance of ensuring that the transition is both environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. Participants learned about progress made in Waterberg District municipality in cooperation with both Lephalale and Mogalakwena Local Municipalities, including municipal skills development initiatives, governance structures, funding mobilization efforts, and partnerships supporting green hydrogen capacity building.

The Waterberg Development Initiative (WDI) presented its vision for a coordinated regional development model that aligns municipalities, industry, and communities around shared economic and sustainability goals. Discussions also featured contributions from national government representatives, development partners, and municipalities already advancing hydrogen-related projects, demonstrating growing momentum behind South Africa’s hydrogen economy.

The mission concluded with a strategy workshop, where participants jointly developed a 36-month roadmap for regional development. The roadmap identified priority actions in infrastructure development, skills readiness, investment attraction, and partnership building to support the creation of a future “Waterberg Hydrogen Corridor.” These outcomes complemented Hydrogen Cities Working group discussions on municipal capability development, finance mobilization, and energy access, while addressing challenges such as financing constraints and uneven municipal preparedness.

The expert mission reinforced the critical role municipalities play in South Africa’s energy transition. Through international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and practical planning, the initiative demonstrated how green industrialization can drive sustainable economic growth while ensuring communities remain at the center of the transition to a cleaner, more resilient future.