2. Background and history of the Department of Energy (DoE) President Jacob Zuma's new cabinet announced, in May 2009, the need to establish, reorganise, and rename some of the national departments to support Ministers in the execution of their mandates. In his statement, the President emphasized the importance of the type of structure that would best serve government's goals. As a result, the Department of Energy was created following a separation from the erstwhile minerals and energy department. The newly established Department of Energy has a specific mandate to ensure secure and sustainable provision of energy for socio- economic development. In the process it will seek to regulate and transform the sector for the provision of secure, sustainable and affordable energy. As the country's economy continues to grow, energy is increasingly becoming a key focus, hence the department would play a crucial role in ensuring that exploration, development, processing, utilisation and management of South Africa's mineral and energy resources compliments the country's growing economy.