With South Africa’s energy sector at a defining moment, with a dual imperative to ensure energy security and a credible transition to a sustainable low-carbon economy, this requires collaboration and a broader role for professional organisations.

This was highlighted by speakers during professional organisation the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers’ (SAIEE’s) Strategic Leadership Dialogue, held in collaboration with State-owned utility Eskom and statutory body the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), at the Eskom Academy of Learning, in Midrand, on July 8.

Eskom CE Dan Marokane stressed the need for collaboration, rather than the prevailing narrative of competition.

He pointed out that professional organisations needed to bring their voice and work together to deliver on the targets set out in the Integrated Resource Plan.

Marokane asserted that the utility’s turnaround showed that operational and financial recovery was enabled by deliberate leadership, as well as governance and workplace culture interventions.

This focus on developing leaders with integrity for the next stage of energy development was echoed by other speakers.

Marokane also highlighted that independent power producer projects employ a considerable number of engineers that were trained by Eskom. He stressed the need for the entity to bolster work to enable it to be a trusted partner in engineering skills development, technology deployment, infrastructure mobilisation and socioeconomic progress.

He pointed out that, with over 24 000 technical skilled people at Eskom, this capital must be leveraged by training them in other technologies.

SAIEE CEO Leanetse Matutoane said the dual imperative of a credible transition and energy security alluded to were two sides of the same engineering challenge, rather than being in contention as often portrayed.

He reiterated the call for “visionary leadership”, as well as coordinated institutional action across professional organisations, Eskom, the energy regulator and academia.

Matutoane stressed that this was not only a government and Eskom responsibility, asserting that professional organisations such as SAIEE needed to be part of the transition.

ECSA echoed the sentiment of leadership and institutional collaboration, also stressing the need for ethical stewardship and a commitment to public services.

The organisation was said to have a pivotal role to play in the transition, with its expertise required as more transmission and renewable-energy infrastructure was built, and technologies such as battery energy storage systems and modernisation of the electrical network were pursued.

It was noted that this requires more than just technical expertise, with assurance that certain engineering decisions are undertaken by competent professionals who uphold the highest standards.

A  rethink of professional organisations’ roles in society was advocated for. While their current one is important, and they should continue to fulfil their respective mandate, the country’s challenges necessitate them playing a broader strategic role.

Suggestions included them being partners in national development, providing a platform for dialogues, facilitating collaborations across sectors, sharing technical expertise, supporting policy decisions and helping to shape solutions to complex national issues.

Moreover, engineers of the future would have to contend with a very different world of work and technology, and there was a need for capabilities to be developed, requiring coordinated efforts.

The need to develop engineers with integrity was reiterated, with mentorships highlighted as key to this.