- South Africa’s Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) has appointed Ms. Elsa Strydom as Interim Head of the IPP Office, effective 1 May 2025.
- This interim leadership arrangement is in place while the recruitment process for a permanent Head is underway, following the conclusion of Mr. Bernard Magoro’s contract on 30 April 2025.
Ms. Strydom currently serves as Head of Infrastructure Finance at the IPP Office, where she plays a central role in the design and implementation of South Africa’s Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (IPPPP). She brings over two decades of senior management experience in local and national government, with deep expertise in
infrastructure finance and public-private partnerships (PPPs). Prior to joining the IPP Office, Ms. Strydom was a senior project advisor in the PPP Unit of National Treasury. Her advisory portfolio has spanned the health, correctional services and education sectors, and her early career included raising capital for investment in local government infrastructure.
The Department extends its appreciation to Mr. Magoro for his valued contribution and leadership during the five years of his tenure at the IPP Office and wishes him well in his future endeavours.
Appointed by then Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, Mr Magoro has been criticised for failing to procure much needed new generation capacity in good time which many argue has worsened the energy crisis in South Africa. Under his leadership, South Africa’s once globally revered Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), has been dogged by allegations of tender rigging and multiple delays. Read more
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
