South Africa’s Minister for Electricity and Energy, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the organisers of the Africa Energy Forum (AEF) for his role in helping to reduce load shedding and strengthen the country’s energy security.
He was presented with the award at the opening of the 28th Africa Energy Forum (AEF), currently underway at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 16–19 June 2026.
The Africa Energy Forum (AEF) 2026, under the theme “Building Africa’s Industrialised Future,” highlights the continent’s need to power growth for more than 1.5 billion people.
The Minister invited on stage the Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Ms. Samantha Graham-Maré, and the Group Chief Executive of Eskom, Mr. Dan Marokane, to share the moment during the award presentation.
South Africa has experienced persistent electricity shortages for more than a decade, largely driven by aging power infrastructure, maintenance backlogs, and insufficient generation capacity from the state utility, Eskom.
To manage supply constraints and prevent a total grid collapse, Eskom implemented load shedding, a controlled and rotational power-cut system that temporarily disconnects parts of the grid to balance demand and supply.
At its peak, load shedding significantly disrupted economic activity, affecting businesses, households, and essential services, and becoming one of South Africa’s most pressing economic challenges.
In recent years, the government has implemented a series of reforms, emergency procurement measures, and increased private-sector participation to stabilize the power system.
These efforts have contributed to a noticeable reduction in the frequency and severity of load shedding, which is part of the progress highlighted during the award recognition of Minister Ramokgopa.
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