COUNTRY OF BIRTH

South Africa

INDUSTRY

Energy

TOP ACHIEVEMENTS

Nelisiwe Magubane has 25+ years of experience in the South African energy sector. She has made a name for herself as an expert in program and project management, policy development, power stations, substations, liquid fuels, renewable energy, power lines, cable networks, building services, and housing projects.

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

Nelisiwe Magubane has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, a Master’s degree in Business Administration, and is a registered electrical engineer.

EARLY CAREER

Magubane began her career in Eskom, an electricity public utility in South Africa and the seventh-largest electricity utility in the world. She worked briefly as a consulting electrical engineer in the private sector before joining the Department of Minerals and Energy. There she assumed the title of Chief Director and was in charge of restructuring the electricity sector and implementing the electrification program. She was later promoted to Deputy Director-General and was responsible for the development of South Africa’s electricity, nuclear, and clean energy policies. In 2009, she was appointed Director-General of Energy. She held that title until 2014, when she decided to launch her own company, Matleng Energy Solutions, which is 70% women-owned. She has been Chairman of Matleng Energy Solutions since its inception

ACHIEVEMENTS

As Director-General of Energy, Nelisiwe Magubane has many achievements to her name. These include:

• Improving access to electricity for over a million households
• Developing and implementing the Integrated Resource Plan
• Securing billions of dollars in investments
• Completing the Integrated Energy Plan (IEP), South Africa’s vision for the 2050 energy sector

Additionally, over the course of 25+ years in the South African energy sector, Nelisiwe Magubane has been involved in numerous energy projects, including negotiations between the Cahora Bassa power system and the Governments of Mozambique and Portugal. She was also involved in the Grand Inga Treaty between the Governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Angola, the Republic of Botswana, and the Republic of Namibia. Additionally, Nelisiwe Magubane worked with the Tetratech team in the restructuring of Tanesco, the Tanzanian electricity utility, as part of the Power Africa Transactions and Reform Program.

RECOGNITION

• Nelisiwe Magubane was named as one of the top 50 most influential people in the South African energy industry by ESI Africa Magazine.
• Magubane was nominated by the Academy of Science in South Africa to participate in a study assessing the energy efficiency technologies of South Africa.
• Magubane is a former member of the Engineering Council of South Africa.