Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) is an independent association whose members include the leaders of some of South Africa’s biggest and most well-known businesses.
Through BLSA, South Africa’s business leaders engage key players in South African society, including government, civil society and labour, to exchange ideas in our national interest and to create effective dialogue.
By so doing, we contribute to building strong communities underpinned by job creation through sustained economic growth.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
BLSA CEO’s Weekly Newsletter – Electricity reform backsliding threatens grid investment – president must clarify policy
The BLSA Reform Tracker shows broad reform progress except in electricity, where December’s revised Eskom unbundling plan leaves transmission assets with Eskom rather than transferring them to the independent TSO as agreed policy requires. Without owning grid assets, the TSO lacks balance sheet capacity to raise financing for the R440bn transmission expansion needed to connect new renewable generation and support economic growth. Business confidence is rising with two-thirds of BLSA members positive about reforms and three-quarters citing electricity improvements specifically – but policy reversal threatens to derail the investment momentum this creates. BLSA and BUSA have written to President Ramaphosa seeking clarity that the agreed electricity reform policy stands, with Thursday’s State of the Nation Address providing an opportunity to reaffirm commitment and maintain investor confidence. The release last week of the BLSA Reform Tracker Quarterly Review showed that there has been broad progress across government’s reform agenda, with one notable exception: electricity. While load shedding is thankfully a thing of the past, we must not be complacent. The agreed electricity sector reform plan includes a fundamental reorganisation of how electricity is generated and distributed in this country, not only to ensure electricity stability, but to introduce fair competition that […]
12/02/2026
MEDIA STATEMENT – BLSA reacts to the State of the Nation Address
“We are stronger today than what we were a year ago”. That was the core message of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state-of-the-nation address, and BLSA agrees that there is much to… continue reading
05/02/2026
MEDIA STATEMENT – BLSA Reform Tracker Second Quarterly Review: South Africa’s Reform Programme Remains on Track Despite Electricity Setback
Overall reform score climbs nearly 24% since tracking began; momentum slows as reforms near completion but electricity sector reversal raises… continue reading
07/01/2026
MEDIA STATEMENT – BLSA welcomes the appointment of Adv Mothibi to the NPA
Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) welcomes the appointment of Advocate Jan Lekgoa Mothibi as the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) National… continue reading
12/11/2025
Media statement – Fiscal discipline pays off: SA’s debt trajectory offers hope for ratings upgrade
“This is the first time since the 2008 financial crisis that public debt will not grow as a percentage of… continue reading
