Some lobby groups want the building of coal-fired power stations to stop and the existing ones to reduce emissions.

Speaking during the official release of the International Energy Agency's 2019 coal report on Tuesday, Mantashe said knee-jerk reactions will devastate the economy.

"Those who are shouting at us that we must do things haphazardly are actually wanting to cause chaos to the economy, and we must resist that, " he said.

The minister said he is prepared to listen to lobbyists from all sides of the energy debate, including non-renewable resources. 

Mantashe used an analogy in his explanation.

"I am from a province ... the Eastern Cape ... one time they [the people] were told to kill their cattle because there is wealth coming. That new world has not arrived there, we are starving up to today.

"So anybody who comes to me and says destroy what you have because there is hope, you will battle, because I am informed by this experience."

eNCA