The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) awarded City Power’s managing director, Sicelo Xulu with the President’s Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the South Africa Spectrum of Local Government Electricity Utilities.
The institute recognised the positive contribution Xulu made in stabilising the financials of City Power and increasing the company’s revenue during his tenure.
Xulu said, “All this great work could not be attributed to a single individual, but is a culmination of a collective effort that was driven by a singular objective, that of optimally utilising our resources, using collective know-how and expertise.”
Xulu added that they believed they have made significant strides in achieving their success, as they have learned from their experiences and they believed there was a lot that still needed to be done.
Xulu has been instrumental in lobbying the government to classify cable theft as an act of economic sabotage due to the debilitating impact of cable theft on the economy. Under his leadership, the number of households electrified by City Power multiplied and, together with City Power’s board, Xulu managed to reaffirm to residents and businesses alike of the utility’s zero tolerance of corrupt practices.
As the president of the Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities, Xulu was the driving force behind the establishment of the Women in Electricity programme and the pioneer of other sustainable initiatives that will continue even after his occupancy, illustrating his visionary leadership within the electricity industry.
In accepting the award, Xulu thanked the City Power board, its executive, stakeholders and staff for making it possible for the utility to reach milestones of this calibre.
