"I am not saying coal for ever, ... I am saying let's manage our transition step by step rather than being emotional," Mantashe told a mining conference, when asked how China's pledge to not build new coal power stations abroad would affect South Africa.

"We are not a developed economy, we don't have all alternative sources," he added.

South Africa aims to cut coal's share of the energy mix to less than 60% by 2030 from around 75% now while increasing the share of renewables, Mantashe said.

The minister pointed to China's current energy crisis as an example of what could go wrong if a transition is attempted too fast.

"Xi Jinping is now increasing the import of coal, as we talk now, for China," he said.

Ahead of next month's COP26 climate conference, Mantashe said he is supportive of "green financing" from developed nations.

African nations want financing to help deal with climate change scaled up more than tenfold to $1.3-trillion per year by 2030, a key African climate negotiator told Reuters on Wednesday.