CEO Voice - February 2026

 

The recent Annual General Meeting offered members a comprehensive reflection on the progress made in 2025. Three themes emerged clearly from these discussions: Investor Confidence, Policy Alignment, and Grid Readiness. 

 

Through the policy reforms implemented over the past year, South Africa has sent a strong and reassuring signal to investors. Project maturity and readiness across the renewable energy pipeline are becoming increasingly evident, reinforcing the country’s position as one of the most compelling destinations for renewable energy investment on the continent.

 

This momentum is reflected in the findings of the South African Renewable Energy Grid Survey (SAREGS 2025), which identifies 72 GW of renewable energy projects (wind and solar PV) at advanced stages of development, capable of connecting to the grid within the next seven years. The pace of industry readiness is already outpacing the 16-year planning horizon outlined in the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2025), demonstrating both the scale of opportunity and the urgency of implementation.

 

 

For the association, 2025 was the year of the grid; 2026 is the year of implementation.

 

Over the past year, the industry’s focus centred on addressing grid readiness and unlocking the structural constraints that have historically limited the pace of renewable energy deployment. With critical reforms now underway, the task before us in 2026 is clear: translating policy momentum into tangible project delivery.



The IRP2025 charts a pathway for 43 GW of wind capacity by 2042, requiring an average build rate of 2.7 GW per year. Achieving this will demand coordinated action across government, regulators, industry, and investors. It also presents a powerful opportunity for the wind sector to reinforce South Africa’s role as a leading hub for wind energy development in Africa.

 

Encouragingly, institutional reforms are beginning to strengthen the regulatory environment. With the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) now formally empowered to adjudicate non-compliance cases under the amended Electricity Regulation Act, the sector is moving from a framework focused primarily on rule-setting to one anchored in active regulatory enforcement. Structured hearings, penalties, and corrective mechanisms will play an important role in reinforcing regulatory credibility and ensuring that policy certainty translates into tangible progress.

 

 

I extend my warm congratulations to the newly elected SAWEA Board Members for 2026, who have been entrusted with representing the industry with diligence, integrity, and impartiality. I also wish to express my sincere appreciation to the 2025 Board Members, whose stewardship strengthened SAWEA’s governance structures and positioned the association to continue advancing a resilient and forward-looking industry framework.

 

I am equally pleased to welcome the 2026 Standing Committee leadership, who will guide these important industry platforms as we collectively work toward the ambitious targets outlined in IRP2025.

 

Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our outgoing Chairperson, Sunette Smith, for her leadership over the past two transformative years in the sector. Her tenure helped guide the industry through a critical period of policy reform and sector growth.

 

As we take the baton forward, I am delighted to welcome our newly elected Chairperson, Stephen Koopman, whose two-year term comes at a pivotal moment for the industry. Under his leadership, we look forward to seeing the sector move decisively from ambition to delivery.

 

CEO