Why is the inclusion of women essential to building a sustainable, resilient and inclusive energy future?
With major energy programmes underway in South Africa, including the Just Energy Transition, the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), and Energy Efficiency and Demand-Side Management initiatives, the meaningful inclusion of women is essential to accelerating implementation. Women are multifaceted and often bring strong attention to detail, collaboration, and a commitment to delivering results within timelines. They bring resilience, diverse perspectives and a different lens to problem-solving. By including women in leadership, technical roles, policy development and decision-making, it will broaden the pool of talent and expertise available to address complex energy challenges and ensure that the transition is inclusive, accelerated, sustainable and beneficial to all communities.
From your perspective, what progress have you seen in advancing women’s participation and leadership within the energy sector over recent years?
There has been progress in advancing women’s participation in the energy sector over recent years, but the pace of change remains slow. Women are slowly entering the sector across government and private organisations; however, boardrooms and key decision-making spaces remain largely male-dominated, particularly in strategic roles. In some instances, progress appears to be driven more by the need to meet gender representation targets than by a genuine commitment to advancing women into positions of influence. True progress should be about creating an environment where women have equal opportunities to lead, make decisions and influence the direction of the energy sector.
Can you share an example of an initiative or intervention that has successfully supported women in energy and created meaningful impact?
The Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) and and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) are excellent examples of an initiative creating meaningful impact for women in the energy sector. The programme focuses on developing leadership capabilities and equipping women with the confidence and competencies needed to advance into C-suite and senior leadership positions. By providing targeted development, mentorship and exposure, the programme is helping to build a strong pipeline of capable women leaders who can contribute meaningfully to shaping the future of the energy sector.
How can organisations create environments where women are empowered to thrive, lead and contribute meaningfully across the energy value chain?
Organisations need to be intentional and deliberate about empowering women and creating environments where their capabilities, skills and potential are recognised and valued. This means providing equal opportunities for women to develop, take on challenging assignments and progress into leadership and decision-making positions. Programmes such as the C-Suite Women in Energy Empowerment Programme should be implemented and supported within organisations to build leadership capacity and confidence. Organisations should also strengthen succession planning and create opportunities for women to gain exposure to leadership roles and strategic responsibilities. Most importantly, organisations must move beyond policies and targets and create a culture where women are genuinely supported, mentored, sponsored and given the opportunity to thrive and lead.
What opportunities do you see for women to play a greater role in shaping South Africa’s energy transition?
Energy efficiency is an area where I see opportunities for women to play a role in shaping South Africa’s energy transition. As we strengthen regulations for energy-efficient appliances, lighting, buildings and industrial processes, women can contribute meaningfully through policymaking, regulation, technical expertise, strategy development and implementation. Women should be actively involved across government, municipalities, utilities and partner organisations, including in senior leadership and technical roles. Their experiences and insights should also be captured through research and knowledge-sharing platforms. By creating pathways for women to participate across the energy efficiency value chain, we can harness diverse perspectives and accelerate a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient energy transition.
