Thought Leadership

Komati is shifting from its coal-mining past toward a resilient, diversified future. Through the SEF initiative, the Seriti Institute is strengthening food security, restoring community confidence, and laying the groundwork for a technology-enabled local economy.

The two-year project, implemented between 2023 and 2025, funded by the Citi Foundation Innovation Challenge, resulted in the establishment of 50 new farming enterprises. It is supported with training, inputs, tools and infrastructure such as irrigation systems, shade nets, poultry houses, and storage facilities.

On 18 September 2025, Standerton came alive with resilience and community pride as the Seriti Institute hosted its 3rd Annual Farmers’ Day at the local showgrounds. More than 500 people — including smallholder farmers, families, youth, and agricultural partners — came together for a day of inspiration, practical learning, and celebration.

Standerton came alive as Seriti Institute hosted its 3rd Annual Farmers’ Day, exploring drone tech, sustainable practices, and market-ready tools. With over 46 exhibitors and a strong focus on families and youth, the event showcased how collaboration drives transformation in agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) reported in 2022 that smallholder and subsistence farming supports food security for approximately 2.5 million households. Yet, in 2024, nearly one in four South African households experienced hunger (Stats SA, 2024).

Each year, National Science Week invites South Africans to reflect on the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in shaping the nation’s future. But as we celebrate innovation and inquiry, we must also reckon with the fact that many young people across the country still experience STEM as a distant concept.

Globally, youth mental health is in crisis. According to the World Health Organization, one in seven young people aged 10–19 lives with a mental disorder — making up 15% of the total disease burden for that age group. Millions of young people around the world are dealing with depression, anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders — and many do not receive the help they need.

Komati, Mpumalanga - The silence left by the shutdown of the local power station in 2022 is more than just a drop in electricity output. It is the quiet of a community struggling to rebuild after losing its economic heartbeat.

Komati Power Station, which had operated since 1961, played a significant role in powering South Africa through coal-generated electricity. At its height, it supplied 121 megawatts to the national grid.