Bukula resigns as Nersa chair

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) will see some leadership changes following the resignation of its chair Thembani Bukula, who served his last day on 15 June.

Bukula, whose position was part-time as he also served as CEO of the energy trader PowerX, confirmed to Moneyweb that he resigned to focus on his health.

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Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s office said Nersa deputy chair Ria Govender will, as determined by the Nersa Act, serve as chair until the position is filled.

This comes as Ramokgopa has called for nominations for the position of full-time regulator member and CEO of Nersa.

The position is currently held by Advocate Nomalanga Sithole, whose five-year term ends in August. This was her first term. Regulator members are allowed to serve a second term, should she be available and should the minister decide to reappoint her.

Bukula, a qualified engineer who previously served as full-time regulator member for electricity, was appointed chair in 2022 and was also nearing the end of his term.

He led the nine-member Energy Regulator Board, which is responsible for regulating the electricity, piped-gas, and petroleum pipelines industries in South Africa.

Challenging time

Bukula’s tenure as Nersa chair began shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the Energy Action Plan and scrapped licensing rules for private power generators.

This sped up the growth of renewable energy and independent power producers, and changed the energy landscape in South Africa dramatically.

It also increased the workload on Nersa, which suddenly had to regulate a growing number of generators and traders and develop new rules as the liberalisation of the South African energy market picked up momentum.

Many of Nersa’s decisions were challenged in court and mostly overturned during this period as its resources were not increased to match the heavier workload.

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Hasha Tlhotlhalemaje, former senior manager for regulation at Eskom, describes Bukula as a stalwart of the industry who will be sorely missed.

“His wisdom and experience will be missed. He is really irreplaceable,” she says. “We are sad to see him go and wish him well.”

Vally Padayachee, an industry veteran and special advisor to the Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities (Ameu), says he has known Bukula and worked with him on a professional level over several decades.

“Bukula is a competent, reliable and ethical person who does not hold his punches but always acts in a professional manner,” Padayachee told Moneyweb.

“He was the right man for the job as the electricity industry evolved to a competitive market.

“It is a challenging job where different interests have to be balanced and I don’t think he always had enough support as Nersa remained under-resourced,” he added.

“It is a pity that we are losing him at Nersa, but we thank him and wish him all the best.”