Merel van der Lei | CEO | Wyzetalk | mail me |
Ahead lies a massive and complex energy infrastructure rollout to repair and expand transmission and distribution systems. Both the state and the private sector are deploying historic levels of capital.
Soon, thousands of technicians and workers will move to deliver this vision. However, I worry that we are not as prepared to support them as we are to meet budget requirements within this energy infrastructure rollout.
Why R1 trillion infrastructure spend might not reach informal settlements
In 2025, developers registered a record 7.5GW of planned private renewable energy projects with the National Energy Regulator (NERSA). These projects carry a combined investment value of R158 billion. Notably, this figure represents almost half of the total value of all private energy projects ever registered with NERSA. This surge further accelerates the pace of the energy infrastructure rollout.
On the public side, the National Treasury’s 2026 budget outlines a significant R1 trillion infrastructure spend over the next three years. At the same time, Eskom, through the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA), faces a four-year mandate.
It must spend hundreds of billions to build approximately 14,000 km of new high-tension transmission lines. These lines will connect a surge of new renewable projects to the grid. Meanwhile, Eskom distribution and local municipalities must upgrade distribution infrastructure. They face similarly large and complex responsibilities within the broader energy infrastructure rollout.
Speed vs operational reality
There is clear momentum, or at least strong intent, across the sector. This urgency reflects years of underinvestment. Consequently, pressure to accelerate delivery has increased. While speed is necessary, it often introduces significant and unforeseen operational risks within the energy infrastructure rollout.
Money may fuel projects, but people execute them. However, high-level strategies often overlook the realities faced by technicians on the ground. These workers operate in volatile, high-tension environments. In many cases, they work in informal settlements where communities distrust infrastructure activity. Residents often fear that authorities will remove services rather than improve them.
At this scale, most technicians will come from third-party contractors. This introduces additional complexity in coordination, accountability and communication.
The reality of working in “red zones”
When technicians enter so-called “red zones”, they often encounter resistance. In some cases, they face hostility or even violence. However, it is incorrect to assume these areas are inherently dangerous. Instead, volatility often stems from a lack of information.
For example, a technician arriving unannounced at a local substation becomes an immediate target. That individual absorbs months of community frustration. Similarly, teams removing illegal electricity connections may face backlash. Communities often misunderstand their purpose. Even paying residents may perceive these teams as threats.
Importantly, these communication failures are not the fault of frontline technicians. Yet, these workers often act as human buffers for weak administrative systems. They may not even represent the organisations that communities hold accountable.
Hazard pay as a flawed default
Utilities sometimes announce that teams will not enter certain areas due to safety concerns. However, even when risks appear manageable, technicians remain reluctant to accept assignments in high-risk zones.
In response, organisations often rely on financial incentives. They offer hazard pay to encourage workers to operate in dangerous environments. However, this approach is fundamentally flawed. Paying more does not create safety. It only compensates for risk.
A sustainable strategy requires more than financial incentives. Organisations must equip workers with real-time intelligence. In addition, they must integrate them into transparent communication systems that include communities. This is critical for the success of the energy infrastructure rollout.
The role of integrated communication
Effective communication must move quickly and in multiple directions. For instance, a central control room should alert teams immediately when risks escalate in a specific area. At the same time, frontline workers must report hazards instantly through secure channels.
When organisations fail to communicate clearly, projects stall. For example, teams may abandon sites if communities are not informed about their arrival or purpose. This creates cascading operational consequences. Redeploying teams increases administrative complexity. Costs escalate rapidly. In addition, organisations struggle to account for lost time and abandoned work.
However, communication systems fail when they operate in silos. A fragmented approach cannot support complex, high-risk operations, especially during an energy infrastructure rollout.
Building a connected operational ecosystem
A functional solution must include all stakeholders. This includes managers, offices, control rooms, support teams, frontline workers and communities. Although these groups operate in different locations, they require seamless information flow.
We have already seen the consequences of poor communication. During the peak of the energy crisis, third-party load-shedding apps grew rapidly. This growth reflected a national demand for accurate and predictable information.
The private sector stepped in because information is as critical as electricity. However, that period also exposed a missed opportunity. Authorities failed to build trust through transparent communication. We cannot repeat that mistake during the energy infrastructure rollout.
A critical opportunity for reform
Past administrative failures should not define future outcomes. The current capital investment in the grid creates a unique opportunity. It allows us to address the human dimension of infrastructure delivery within the energy infrastructure rollout.
If organisations embed communication as a core pillar, they can reshape on-the-ground dynamics. Accurate operational intelligence can empower frontline workers. At the same time, transparent communication can build community trust.
As a result, technicians shift from being perceived as threats to becoming recognised contributors to recovery. They no longer trigger anxiety. Instead, they act as informed ambassadors within communities.
Securing a social licence to operate
Ultimately, organisations cannot secure a social licence to operate through engineering or hazard pay alone. They must adopt operational empathy.
Fixing the grid requires more than technical solutions. It demands that we treat information flow with the same urgency as electricity flow. By doing so, we protect the people who drive infrastructure delivery and support long-term economic recovery tied to the energy infrastructure rollout.
