Dr Titus Mathe will step down as South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) CEO on March 31 after being appointed as the new Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) CEO, SANEDI announced on January 30.

Mathe has led SANEDI since October 2022.

According to SANEDI, Mathe’s departure follows a period in which the institute strengthened its institutional capacity, credibility and engagement at national and international level. The organisation said his leadership helped position SANEDI as a technical authority and strategic partner to government and stakeholders across the energy value chain.

During his tenure, SANEDI supported the Department of Electricity and Energy as head of the Group of Twenty (G20) Energy Transitions Working Group secretariat, a role the institute said elevated South Africa’s standing in global energy transition processes.

SANEDI also provided technical support in resolving the Johannesburg City Power–Eskom billing dispute, which it said contributed to improved cooperation between the entities.

The institute further said it delivered technical analysis and stakeholder coordination that supported the advancement and finalisation of the Integrated Resource Plan 2025, which guides South Africa’s long-term electricity planning.

SANEDI also led work on the Integrated National Electrification Programme Reconfiguration Action Plan, aimed at aligning electrification delivery models with system needs, governance requirements, and long-term sustainability.

In addition, SANEDI said it expanded national and international partnerships during Mathe’s tenure, strengthening collaboration with academic and research institutions, development partners, energy-sector organisations, and industry participants.

“Mathe has been an exceptional and strategic leader who guided SANEDI with clarity of purpose, integrity, and vision. Under his leadership, SANEDI emerged as a stronger, more influential institution, firmly positioned at the centre of South Africa’s energy transition. We thank Mathe for his . . . contribution and for leaving behind . . . an enduring legacy . . . The board wishes him every success in his future endeavours,” chairperson Sicelo Xulu said on January 30.

SANEDI said it remained stable and fully operational and would continue to focus on its mandate of supporting government and key stakeholders in energy planning, research, innovation, and implementation support.

The board has initiated a process, in line with governance and legislative requirements, to appoint a new CEO, and said interim measures would be put in place to ensure continuity and uninterrupted delivery of the institute’s work.