The National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Monde Bala as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 1 October 2025.
Mr Bala has served as Interim CEO for the past two months. During that time, he has demonstrated outstanding leadership, a deep understanding of the transmission business, and a strong commitment to the NTCSA’s strategic objectives. His permanent appointment follows a rigorous and competitive recruitment process.
“We are confident in Mr Bala’s ability to lead the NTCSA into its next chapter,” said Chairperson of the NTCSA Board, Priscillah Mabelane.
“He brings a wealth of experience and insight to the role, and we look forward to continuing our work with him and the executive team as we drive forward our strategic deliverables,” added Mabelane.
A seasoned executive with over 27 years of experience in the power sector, Mr Bala is uniquely positioned to guide the NTCSA as it continues to deliver on its mandate of providing ‘reliable, fair, and affordable access to the electricity grid and market, supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth’. His appointment marks a significant milestone in accelerating the development of a more competitive and efficient electricity market that benefits all South Africans.
Mr Bala’s leadership will be instrumental in accelerating the execution of the NTCSA’s strategy, which includes attracting investment into the transmission grid through the implementation of the Transmission Development Plan (TDP), advancing operational unbundling in line with legislative requirements, and fostering a fair and competitive electricity market.
Prior to this appointment, Mr Bala served as Group Executive: Eskom Distribution since 2019 and has held various senior leadership roles during his tenure at Eskom. He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town and a Master of Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand.
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Private sector participation
The IPP Office recently release a pre-qualification tender for private sector funders to express interest in the procurement of Independent Transmission Projects (ITPs)South Africa’s energy transition and economic recovery agenda hinges on the rapid expansion and modernisation of its transmission infrastructure.
The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) and Eskom’s Transmission Development Plan (TDP 2024–2033) estimates that more than 14,000 km of new transmission lines will be required in the next decade to accommodate an additional 53 GW of generation capacity. The current grid expansion pace is wholly inadequate, necessitating a minimum of 1,400 km per year required for the country’s energy security requirements. Read more
NTCSA has been supporting the ITPs under the leadership of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy, in collaboration with National Treasury, in the areas of strategic management and oversight; procurement; contracts and design requirements and legal and regulatory matters.
Eskom through its subsidiary, NTCSA, has been hard at work preparing the seven projects to be procured under Phase 1 of the ITP Programme, ensuring the accelerated delivery of the country’s Transmission Development Plan. The seven projects include those beyond the broader Cape regions and are planned to reach implementation readiness in 2026. We are comfortable that NTCSA will continue with these projects to ensure that they are ready for the ITPs to construct after the procurement process is completed.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
