The Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Precious Mmabakwena Edward as the new Head of the Independent Power Producers Office (IPPO), effective 1 September 2025. Her appointment follows a rigorous and transparent recruitment process, underscoring the Department’s commitment to merit, transformation, and excellence in leadership.

Ms Edward brings nearly two decades of extensive experience in South Africa’s power generation sector, spanning both fossil-fuel and renewable energy. She currently serves as the Chief Executive of ENGIE Kathu Solar Facility, one of the first multibillion-rand Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) projects successfully developed under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).

In this role, she has not only overseen the stabilisation of operations and delivered strong returns for shareholders, but has also exemplified the qualities of a servant leader placing people at the centre of her leadership. She has championed career development and skills growth for the workforce, created pathways for small businesses to participate in the energy value chain, and ensured that surrounding communities benefit through meaningful jobs, training, and enterprise opportunities. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to shared prosperity, inclusivity, and sustainable development in the regions where the facility operates.

Her distinguished career at Eskom included serving as Head of Fuel Sourcing, where she directed procurement strategies under tight governance controls, and as a Contracts Lead on the Medupi Power Station project, managing multi-billion-rand commercial and contractual frameworks. Ms Edward holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering, a Master’s in Business Leadership (MBL), and an LLB degree. This unique combination of technical, business, and legal expertise equips her to navigate complex operational, financial, and governance challenges at the highest level.

Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as the IPPO marks 15 years since its establishment. Looking forward, the IPPO will be transformed into a more agile, efficient, and impactful institution that responds to modern energy challenges. Under her leadership, the IPPO will:
i. Advance transformation and inclusivity by ensuring greater participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in the energy sector;
ii. Drive local manufacturing and industrialisation opportunities, aligned with the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM);
iii. Maximise socio-economic development benefits in future procurement rounds; and iv. Introduce innovative procurement models that strengthen security of supply, affordability, and alignment with South Africa’s just energy transition priorities.

This appointment reinforces the Department of Electricity & Energy’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030, advancing priorities that include:
i. Achieving Universal Access to Electricity by 2030,
ii. Promoting industrialisation and localisation,
iii. Driving a just energy transition with jobs and skills at the centre, and
iv. Strengthening governance, efficiency, and accountability in energy procurement

Ms Edward is widely recognised for her principled, resilient, and values-driven leadership, having received numerous accolades throughout her career. Her appointment marks more than a change in leadership it is a renewal of purpose. For the past 15 years, the IPPO has been the engine room powering South Africa’s entry into large-scale renewable energy procurement. Today, under her stewardship, we turn the page to a new chapter: one where the IPPO becomes not only a procurement office, but a catalyst for transformation, industrialisation, and socio-economic inclusion.

As the Department advances its Strategic Priorities of achieving universal access to electricity by 2030, accelerating localisation and manufacturing, and driving a just energy transition, Ms Edward’s leadership will be instrumental in steering the IPPO from being a pioneering institution into becoming a symbol of national renewal. Like a bridge built on strong foundations, her role will connect the lessons of the past to the opportunities of the future ensuring that secure, affordable, and transformative energy continues to power South Africa’s development.

For media enquiries, please contact: Tsakane Khambane on 082 084 5566

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA