By: ESI Africa

In an interview with ESI Africa multimedia journalist Sinazo Mkoko at Enlit Africa 2025, Lindy Mthembu, Chief Electrical Engineer: MV/LV Construction Planning at eThekwini Municipality, offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how local government engineers are tackling South Africa’s power challenges in real time, using a mix of technical expertise, digital innovation and community focus.

Mthembu outlined the technical and logistical realities of managing and expanding the local power network, highlighting how municipal infrastructure is evolving to meet rising demand, integrate new technologies and improve resilience.

“As a chief engineer in the municipality, working after the MV/LV [medium-voltage/low-voltage] infrastructure, we are closer to the community,” said Mthembu.

Mthembu’s day-to-day work is a blend of office-based reviews and on-the-ground assessments.

“A typical day for me is very dynamic. It involves reviewing and approving feasibility reports… normally when we are connecting new customers, we need to check if the grid can take the load or capacity they require, prior to us doing the designs for them.”

Beyond feasibility studies, Mthembu also evaluates design layouts and finalises engineering plans. 

Ensuring grid capacity

Site visits remain an essential part of her role, especially when it comes to infrastructure expansion and system performance projects.

“When you’re doing your performance investigations, you need to go out there to sites and assess your network, assess your existing infrastructure and then be able to come back and do your designs in the office,” she said.

One of the most pressing challenges at municipal level is ensuring the grid has sufficient capacity to accommodate new customer connections. 

Every connection request must be weighed against the local network’s ability to safely and reliably deliver power.

Mthembu also touched on the issue of transformer failures, noting the role that illegal connections often play in pushing infrastructure beyond its design limits.

The interview also highlighted the differences between municipal power infrastructure and the Eskom approach.