South Africa's transition to renewable energy faces challenges due to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels. The electricity sector, a major contributor to emissions, needs urgent transformation. Existing renewable energy efforts have not had significant impact. The main obstacles are the dominant fossil fuel companies, limited expertise in renewable energy, and the high costs and risks associated with these technologies. Government initiatives, like the renewable energy feed-in tariff, aim to promote renewables, but face issues such as dependence on a single buyer for renewable energy, hindering investment security. Overcoming these barriers requires both financial support and a commitment to restructuring the energy sector towards renewable energy.