Graham-Maré Defends Local Role in R440bn Grid Expansion Plan

The Deputy Minister stressed that the programme is structured to support the creation and development of future local ITP players as implementation progresses.

Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy Samantha Graham-Maré has dismissed claims that South Africa’s Independent Transmission Project (ITP) Programme sidelines local industry, reaffirming government’s commitment to localisation and national ownership.

Speaking at the Disinformation Dialogue hosted by the Institute of Security Studies on Wednesday, the Deputy Minister addressed concerns surrounding the flagship programme designed to attract private investment into expanding South Africa’s electricity transmission grid.

R440 Billion Grid Expansion

South Africa’s grid expansion is estimated to require approximately R440 billion, an amount government cannot finance alone. The ITP Programme aims to mobilise private capital through structured concessions to accelerate infrastructure rollout.

However, Graham-Maré said misinformation has circulated suggesting that the programme favours international players at the expense of local companies.

“There has been misinformation specifically on the involvement of local industry where it has been indicated that we are only targeting internationals. This is not true,” she said.

Local Industry and Economic Development Safeguards

The Deputy Minister stressed that the programme is structured to support the creation and development of future local ITP players as implementation progresses.

She explained that government has embedded localisation requirements through:

• dtic local content designations

• Compliance with the National Industrial Participation Programme (NIPP)

• Socio-economic development (SED) obligations

“We need to ensure that we involve players who have previous experience in the space, while also enabling local industry growth,” she said.

No Privatisation of the Grid

Graham-Maré also rejected suggestions that the ITP Programme amounts to privatisation of the national grid.

“The ITP programme is structured as a long-term concession with transfer back to the State at the end of the concession period,” she explained.

She emphasised that there will only ever be one network operator — the state-owned National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) — which will retain operational control.

Warning Against Disinformation

Turning to the broader theme of the dialogue, the Deputy Minister warned of the risks disinformation poses to democracy and governance.

“Protecting the integrity of information is not simply about correcting what is false. It is about safeguarding how democracy functions in people’s everyday lives, especially at the local level,” she said.

She cautioned that information vacuums — whether due to delays or lack of clarity — create fertile ground for false narratives to take root.

“If credible information is absent, falsehoods take root and become fact,” she noted.

Call for Greater Public Engagement

Graham-Maré stressed that government has a responsibility to proactively communicate, especially in communities with limited internet access.

“Regardless of access, the cornerstone of our democracy should be more public engagements so that no vacuum is created,” she said.

She called for consistent, transparent communication through media, public meetings and community dialogues to ensure misinformation does not undermine public trust.

The Deputy Minister concluded that sustained engagement with citizens is key to ensuring disinformation does not become a destabilising force in South Africa’s democratic system.