Cape Town, 31st October 2025- RES4Africa Foundation, in partnership with Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), successfully concluded the South Africa Annual Conference 2025, held at the Nedbank Auditorium, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.

Under the theme South Africa’s Transformative Year, the 2025 edition marked a pivotal milestone in the country’s energy transition, reflecting the historic convergence of policy reform, infrastructure investment, and international leadership as South Africa chairs the G20. The conference gathered high-level policymakers, regulators, investors, and private sector leaders to discuss the bold reforms and strategic choices shaping a liberalised, resilient, and inclusive electricity market. The gathering underscored South Africa’s emergence as a continental torchbearer in the global energy transition, exploring the opportunities and challenges in implementing the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act and establishing the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM).

The opening session featured keynote interventions from several distinguished speakers. Hon. Samantha Graham-Maré, Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy of the Republic of South Africa, set the tone for the day by contextualizing South Africa’s market reform within the broader G20 framework, highlighting key achievements and strategic messages. The conference unfolded through four thematic sessions: “Africa’s Energy Future: Multiplying Transitions, Mobilizing G20 Influence” explored how South Africa’s G20 presidency can accelerate clean energy transitions and elevate Africa as a global sustainability partner; “Powering Reform: South Africa’s Evolving Electricity Market” assessed the country’s multi-market reform and the policy, regulatory, and investment shifts needed for a competitive power sector; “Reshaping Distribution: Unlocking Affordability and Municipal Participation” focused on empowering municipalities to deliver affordable, renewable electricity. The event also underscored the importance of institutional capacity-building and transformative leadership through its fourth session, "Strengthening Institutional Capacity to Enable Transformative Leadership". The session featured the Southern Africa Executive School Pilot - an initiative reflecting RES4Africa’s strategic collaboration with the Enel Foundation. The programme aligns with the objectives of the Mattei Plan for Africa—an Italian government framework aimed at fostering local expertise and promoting investment in institutional development and renewable energy workforce training across the continent.

Two key publications were launched during the event, the first one, Establishing a Competitive Electricity Market in South Africa: This in-depth report examines the creation of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM), offering a roadmap for the remaining steps needed to achieve a fully open market. The study assesses the journeys towards competitive markets of global case studies, detailing pitfalls faced, and key legislation implemented along the way, to guide stakeholders through the complexities of reform, and the position paper Africa’s Just Energy TransitionS: A unified agenda for Scalable, Inclusive, and Investable Solutions - A strategic document consolidating insights from sector leaders for the G20’s consideration, outlining infrastructure and policy priorities to advance sustainable electrification across the continent, with a focus on unlocking investment and regional integration.

“South Africa’s reform journey represents a turning point for the continent’s power sector,” stated Roberto Vigotti, Secretary General of the RES4Africa Foundation. “This conference reaffirmed our shared ambition to build the institutional, regulatory, and investment frameworks needed for a truly open and sustainable electricity market.”

“As a leading financier in South Africa’s energy transition, Nedbank CIB brings deep sector expertise and a proven track record in structuring bankable solutions for complex energy projects. Our partnership with RES4Africa reflects our commitment to enabling market reform, unlocking private capital, and supporting the development of a resilient, investor-ready electricity market.”- Amith Singh, Head: Power and Renewables Finance at Nedbank CIB.

Speakers at the event were Hon. Samantha Graham-Maré (Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Republic of South Africa); Amith Singh (Head of Energy Finance, Nedbank CIB); Dr. Manuele Battisti (Country Manager Southern Africa, Enel Group); Roberto Vigotti (Secretary General, RES4Africa Foundation); Marianna Petrosillo (Head of Southern Africa, RES4Africa Foundation); Boitumelo Kiepile (Head of Regulatory Affairs, Enel Green Power South Africa); Precious Edward (Head, Independent Power Producer Office); Thembani Bukula (Chairperson, National Energy Regulator of South Africa); Ana Hajduka (Founder and CEO, Africa GreenCo); Rivoningo Mnisi (Group Executive - Renewables Division, Eskom Holding); Pablo Frack (Renewable Energy Business Leader, GME); Subesh Pillay (Interim Director General, Ministry of Electricity and Energy, Republic of South Africa); Kadri Nassiep (Executive Director of Energy, City of Cape Town); Qhakazile Mathebula (General Manager Asset Creation and Operations Management, City of Johannesburg); Dr. Roelof van Huyssteen (Senior Manager, Strategy& PwC South Africa); Giulia Genuardi (Managing Director, Enel Foundation); Dr. Bruce Young (Programme Director of the Master in Energy Leadership, Wits Business School); Ashen Jugoo (Partner, Fasken); Marlyn Hendricks (SPO - municipal Generator Contract, City of Cape Town).

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