The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) has announced that Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will serve as the official Patron and Guest of Honour for the 14th annual Windaba Conference and Exhibition. The Minister will formally open the conference with a keynote address on 22 October at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
Ministerial participation at Windaba 2025 reinforces the shared commitment of government and industry to advancing South Africa’s energy security.
Joining the minister as a Guest of Honour, Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Samantha Graham-Maré will also attend the conference. The deputy minister will deliver the opening keynote address at Windaba Connect, the official precursor to the Windaba Conference and a dedicated social impact platform. She will return to the stage at the Windaba Gala Dinner on 23 October, concluding the three-day programme.
Under the theme ‘Break the Gridlock! Wire for Growth!’, #Windaba2025 calls for bold, strategic collaboration to accelerate grid access and unlock investment in both economic and grid infrastructure. #Windaba2025 will serve as a platform supporting the development of a future-ready grid; one that enables the integration of renewable energy sources, particularly wind energy, as essential to South Africa’s sustainable energy transition.
“The minister’s participation presents an opportunity to align government’s policy direction with the capabilities of the wind and renewable energy industries, galvanising collective action to achieve South Africa’s energy security and broader economic development goals,” says Niveshen Govender, CEO at SAWEA.
In her address at Windaba Connect, the deputy minister, who is leading the implementation of the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), will spotlight the critical need for coordinated government-industry efforts to drive economic development and skills upliftment across the renewable energy value chain. Now in its fourth year, Windaba Connect has established itself as a credible socio-economic development platform focusing on the needs and opportunities for communities and people in South Africa’s just energy transition.
“The minister’s continued support as the official patron of the conference reinforces our shared commitment to progressive dialogue that prioritises South Africa’s energy security, in collaboration with stakeholders across the renewable energy landscape – including business, labour, and civil society,” says Govender.
Beyond the keynote addresses, the Ministry and the Department of Electricity and Energy will be represented throughout the three-day programme, ensuring alignment between government’s policy direction and the wind industry’s capabilities.
For more information visit: https://www.windaba.co.za/
For the full programme, click here
