1Min
South Africa
Dec 21, 2025
As South Africa charts its path forward, Ramokgopa's leadership serves as a beacon of hope, illustrating the possibilities that arise from focused governance and collaborative efforts aimed at lifting the nation from its protracted energy crisis.
Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa's Minister of Electricity and Energy, has emerged as the highest performing minister in the 2025 cabinet rankings by the F.W. de Klerk Foundation.
The minister's recognition comes just days after the minister unveiled ambitious plans to eliminate load reduction by 2027 as a response to escalating concerns overload shedding impacts and the need for infrastructure protection amid growing illegal electricity connections and meter tampering
The recent accolade not only underscores Ramokgopa's exemplary leadership but also signifies a crucial phase in South Africa’s democratic evolution following a tenure that has been marked by a compelling commitment to overcoming the challenges of energy instability, steering the nation towards a future characterised by reliability, resilience, and renewed trust in its electricity supply.
The alleviation of load shedding has been one of Ramokgopa and that of South Africa's standout achievement.
This single achievement has also been emblematic of Ramokgopa's ability to provide decisive political direction and coherent strategies across the electricity value chain.
Under Ramokgopa's stewardship, the government’s 'whole-of-state' approach has garnered praise, highlighting collaborative efforts with public entities, municipalities, private sector stakeholders, labour organisations, and local communities. This unified strategy has proven essential in realising drastic reforms within Eskom and the broader energy framework, showcasing an unprecedented level of coordination and effective implementation.
The implications of this recognition extend beyond mere accolades; it has facilitated economic recovery, revived investor confidence, and safeguarded jobs for countless South Africans. The return to a reliable electricity supply has enriched service delivery to households, schools, clinics, and businesses alike. It has fortified a solid groundwork for inclusive growth, industrialisation, and the much-needed just energy transition.
In a recent statement on the end of loadshedding, the FW De Klerk Foundation welcomed the good news for the country.
"For the first time in years load-shedding has receded, the turbines are spinning again and Cabinet has placed on the table an audacious blueprint – the R2,23 trillion Integrated Resource Plan (2025) that aims to secure our electric future. Yet, behind the optimism lies a profound question: will this plan be a constitutional triumph for sustainable development, or another well-intentioned illusion that powers headlines, but not homes," it said.
