South Africa’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) remain central to economic growth, infrastructure delivery and service provision. Yet persistent challenges – including governance failures, financial distress, operational inefficiencies and declining public confidence – continue to undermine their effectiveness and sustainability.
The State-Owned Enterprises Conference 2026 is designed as a strategic reset. In response to feedback from the 2025 conference, the 2026 edition will move beyond high-level debate toward practical, performance-oriented solutions, with a stronger focus on real SOE case studies, oversight effectiveness, leadership capability, digital transformation and measurable reform outcomes.
Hosted over two days in Durban, the conference will convene senior government officials, SOE executives, board members, oversight institutions, financiers, legal experts, academics and civil society representatives to critically examine what must change – and what is already working – in the governance and management of South Africa’s SOEs.
The programme will prioritise fewer, higher-impact sessions, deeper discussion and interactive panels, directly responding to delegate requests for more time per speaker, more SOE representation and greater diversity of perspectives.
This conference is designed for stakeholders involved in the governance, oversight, management and reform of State-Owned Enterprises, including:
Participants will:
We promote and create opportunities for professionalism in the
development and management of sustainable energy. We create a total
continuous learning experience for delegates. We serve!
The 2026 Conference will address technical, regulatory and market design challenges associated with the implementation and scaling up of electricity wheeling in South Africa. Drawing on industry feedback and recent developments, the following topics will be explored:
Tshamano Netshivhazwaulu
Director: Compliance Gauteng Provincial Treasury
MEC KZN Provincial Treasury
Acting Director-General of the Dpt of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Resident Commissioner: North West Province Public Service Commission
President | Southern Institute of Government Auditors
Senior Associate | CDH
Director: Financial Analyst National Department of Transport
Manager SOEs Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
Project Executive Manager | Rand Water
Group Chief Executive Officer | Ntiyiso
Director | CDH
CEO Tong-Mongalo Corporate Services
Chief Executive Officer | SAIGA
Associate Director S&P Global Ratings
Ag. Director of Governance and Specialized Reporting | African Peer Review Mechanism - Continental Secretariat
Senior Economist | African Peer Review Mechanism- African Union
0700 Registration and networking
0815 Opening remarks from the chairperson: Tshamano Netshivhazwaulu | Director: Compliance | Gauteng Provincial Treasury
08:30 Hon. Francois Rodgers | MEC | KZN Provincial Treasury
Keynote Address
0900 Adv. Melanchton Makobe is the Acting Director-General of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Topic: TBA
0930 Phillip Rakgwale | President | Southern Institute of Government Auditors
Topic: The Governance maturity levels of SA SOEs against global trends
1000 Networking tea break
1030 Alex Ntiyiso Mabunda | Group Chief Executive Officer | Ntiyiso
Topic: Digital Transformation, Data and Performance Monitoring in SOEs
1100 Mohlala Tabudi, FRM | Director: Financial Analyst | National Department of Transport
Topic: SOE listing option for South Africa’s State-Owned Companies reform.
1130 Imraan Mahomed | Director | CDH
Topic: Oversight and accountability mechanisms
1200 Biniyam Dejene Demeke | Manager SOEs | Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
Topic: The Debt Resolution Blueprint: Practical Frameworks for Fiscal Risk Mitigation and SOE Financial Sustainability
1230 Marcus Dlamini | Project Executive Manager | Rand Water
Topic: SOE turnaround and restructuring case studies
1300: Networking Lunch
1400 Panel Session
1500 Closing Remarks from Chairperson: Tshamano Netshivhazwaulu | Director: Compliance | Gauteng Provincial Treasury
1510: Networking Tea Break: End of Conference
0700 Registration and networking
0845 Opening remarks from the chairperson: Tshamano Netshivhazwaulu | Director: Compliance | Gauteng Provincial Treasury
0900 Adv Neo Sephoti | Resident Commissioner: North West Province | Public Service Commission
Topic: Boards, Ethics, and Leadership in High-Risk SOEs
0930 Dr. McBride P. Nkhalamba | Ag. Director of Governance and Specialized Reporting | African Peer Review Mechanism – Continental Secretariat
Topic: TBA
1000 Networking tea break
1030 Dr Minah Tong-Mongalo | CEO | Tong-Mongalo Corporate Services
Topic: TBA
1100 Mbali Buthelezi | Chief Executive Officer | SAIGA
Topic: Governance Oversight and Accountability: Strengthening Oversight Effectiveness and Leadership Capability for Improved Public Sector Outcomes
1130 Munya Chawana | Associate Director | S&P Global Ratings
Topic: SOE Credit Evolution: Government Support and SOE Standalone Dynamics
1200 Ejigayhu Tefera | Senior Economist| African Peer Review Mechanism- African Union
Topic: Why Some SOEs Fail, and Others Recover
1230 Charles Green | Senior Associate | CDH
Topic: Unlocking innovation in infrastructure procurement for state-owned companies.
1300 Networking Lunch
1400 Panel Session
1500 Closing Remarks from Chairperson: Tshamano Netshivhazwaulu | Director: Compliance | Gauteng Provincial Treasury
1510 Networking Tea Break: End of Conference
Cost per person
NB: Price is in South African Rand. Price displayed excludes VAT.
