There are at least 16.2 million renewable energy jobs worldwide, up from 13.7 million in 2022. However, Africa receives a small proportion of global renewable energy investments, resulting in poor employment levels.
According to IRENA’s Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2024, a skilled workforce is crucial for doubling renewable electricity capacity by 2030 and facilitating the energy transition.
IRENA says that to make potential a reality, the continent would need not just higher investments and stronger international cooperation but also measures to boost education, build skills and develop the workforce, along with constructing regional supply chains.
It is for this reason, amongst others, that WomenIN presents #LimitlessVoices, a bold, raw, and uplifting campaign that recognises the stories of African women who are redefining what is possible across industries, communities, and generations.
Contact us to promote stories from women in your company
One such trailblazer is Seshni Naidoo, Head of Engineering and Technical Support Group (ETSG) at ENGIE Southern Africa. ESI Africa spoke to Naidoo about what it means to be a woman forging her path in industry.
In this episode of ESI Africa Insights, we sit down with Lindy Mthembu, Chief Electrical Engineer: MV/LV Construction Planning eThekwini Municipality, South Africa to uncover what it truly takes to manage and expand the power grid at local government level.
You started your career at Eskom as an engineer in training. What lessons from those early years still guide your work today?
My time at Eskom was truly a priceless experience. I was fortunate to start my career at a coal-fired power station and be part of the development, construction and operations phases in a very immersive way. I also had the rare opportunity – by global standards – to work on a brownfield “return-to-service” mega project that brought together some of the best experts in the sector.
You are faced with unique and complex challenges when you attempt to return a power plant to service that was originally built in the 1950s and had been idle for more than 20 years. To put it in context, this was an era before computers and electronic documentation, before automation and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) monitoring, and before current environmental legislation on air or water emissions.
Being exposed to such complexity and scale straight after university provided me with a wealth of knowledge across engineering, operations, maintenance, procurement, finance, project management, people management, leadership and culture.
It taught me to understand the risks and pressures of large-scale infrastructure projects, sharpened my critical thinking and problem-solving skills and shaped my belief that success requires dedication, continuous learning and a growth mindset.
Above all, I learnt that success is deeply reliant on understanding people and fostering collaboration toward a common goal.
Moving from coal at Komati Power Station to renewables represents a big shift. How did you navigate that transition?
I approached the changes with curiosity and a genuine eagerness to learn from a global organisation. My mindset was guided by the ultimate purpose of our sector: to provide energy solutions – regardless of the technology used. There are no inherently “good” or “bad” technologies; each has its strengths and weaknesses, and a balanced energy mix should be our goal.
It’s in society’s best interest to adopt solutions that are sustainable from an environmental perspective while also being cost-effective, safe, and reliable. As an engineer, I also believe they should embrace technological evolution, becoming progressively smarter and simpler.
At the same time, I recognise that there are many lessons from our long history with coal that should not be forgotten. Leveraging those learnings helped me transition smoothly into renewables while building a deep appreciation for solar and wind technologies.
What does your role entail on a day-to-day basis?
My role involves assessing the solar and wind potential of new sites across the country and developing technical solutions based on client needs – whether those clients are government or corporate.
This includes design, planning, costing, construction and operations lifecycle planning, risk management and ultimately, building a business case for a new power plant.
It requires significant stakeholder engagement – internally with various departments and externally with partners, lenders, contractors, equipment manufacturers, authorities and communities.
What kind of challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?
I think everyone experiences some form of judgement or bias – whether it’s based on gender, race, nationality, religion, physical appearance, or even personality traits. Many people have outdated expectations of what an engineer or manager should be, and for me it’s about changing those misconceptions.
In engineering – a traditionally male-dominated field – it took extra effort to be recognised as competent. I overcame this by honing my expertise and consistently demonstrating value. In short, I made it impossible to be overlooked.
How do you balance the technical depth required in engineering with the broader strategic responsibilities of leadership?
At the start of your career, it’s vital to build a strong technical foundation to support your qualification. Get into the detail, understand the fundamentals, and learn how they connect to other aspects of the business. This builds your skills, credibility and confidence.
As you move into senior positions, your focus shifts. You empower others, zoom out to see the bigger picture, and become more goal- and risk-focused. One of your main responsibilities becomes providing your team with the resources they need and removing obstacles in their path.
South Africa’s energy transition is both urgent and complex. From your perspective, what’s the biggest technical challenge we face?
We are fortunate in South Africa to have abundant natural resources and land to support a range of power generation technologies. The biggest technical constraint right now is our national transmission grid.
Historically, the grid was built to transmit power from coal plants to major load centres like Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. New generation sites – solar and wind – are often located in completely different parts of the country due to resource potential. This means we need significant and costly transmission infrastructure upgrades and we need them quickly.
With experience in wind, solar, CSP, and gas technologies, what mix do you believe offers the most resilience for South Africa?
We need a mix that is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, safe and reliable, while allowing for energy independence during times of global market disruptions.
Gas plants provide quick, dispatchable power for peaking and mid-merit needs, though their viability depends on the source of the gas. Solar and wind offer low-cost energy from abundant natural resources and advances in battery energy storage are rapidly reducing the challenge of intermittency.
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) will likely remain a niche technology in a few countries with optimal solar conditions – unless significant advancements are made – because batteries are quickly catching up with, and in some cases surpassing, thermal salt storage.
Beyond the technical side, what impact do you hope your work will leave on communities and the broader energy landscape?
Access to energy is the backbone of growth – whether it’s national GDP or an individual’s quality of life. That motivates me every day and reminds me that I’m contributing to something both important and meaningful. From education to healthcare, agriculture to manufacturing – energy unlocks possibilities for growth, prosperity, and improved quality of life.
You’ve mentored engineers throughout your career. Why is mentorship important to you, and how has it shaped your own journey?
Mentorship is vital. It’s about having someone to guide you when you’re unsure, motivate you when you’re discouraged, challenge you when you don’t see your potential, and humble you when you’ve lost your way. There’s immense value in drawing from someone else’s experience – a depth of knowledge that took years to build. It’s a loss if that wisdom isn’t shared and carried forward.
What advice would you give to young engineers, especially women, who want to step into leadership in the energy sector?
Be hungry for knowledge. Focus on being the best engineer you can be and build a strong foundation of expertise. In doing so, confidence will follow.
At the same time, understand your industry, your company, your department, and your role in the larger value chain. Learn to see things through multiple lenses – not just engineering, but also finance, legal, HSE, and HR. This broader perspective will serve you well as you grow in seniority!
