Pele Energy Group is pioneering a bold new model in the energy sector, one where clean power generation and community development go hand in hand. Through the combined impact of their subsidiaries, Pele Green Energy and Knowledge Pele, they’ve spent over 15 years delivering innovative renewable energy projects that fuel South Africa’s transition to a sustainable future, while investing directly in the growth and upliftment of the communities they serve. With 3.5GW of power developed and over 10,000 lives impacted, they’re not just building infrastructure – they’re building a legacy.
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their Stories
Adhila Mayet, Head of Project Development at Pele Green Energy
Adhila watched Pele Energy Group from afar, inspired by an audacious dream becoming reality. Joining in 2017, she found purpose in a company giving South Africans ownership of their energy future. Every project means igniting momentum, building roads as they walk them and a tomorrow shaped by local hands.
Anthea le Roux, Owner of Le Roux Takeaways & Catering
Anthea’s passion for cooking turned into a growing catering business in Touwsrivier. Through Knowledge Pele’s Starter-Pack programme, she gained the confidence and competence to expand. With corporate clients, weekend events, and social media orders, she’s serving food and community, and building a thriving life as a strong entrepreneur.
Booi Okkies, Farm Supervisor at Touwsrivier Commercial Hydroponics Farm
In Touwsrivier, where jobs are scarce, Booi found hope in hydroponics. Using 90% less water, the farm grows fresh produce year-round, creating opportunities for locals. Starting as a general worker, he’s now a supervisor, determined to expand and employ more people, bringing food security and jobs to his community.
Gqi Raoleka, CEO and Founder of Pele Energy Group
From 36 megawatts to nearly 2.5 gigawatts, Gqi been instrumental in Pele Energy Group’s incredible growth. But for him, success is about more than power. It’s about people. Committed to re-industrialising communities, Pele is creating opportunities, ensuring that energy projects fuel not only the grid but also illuminating the way forward for SA future generations.
Nombulelo Dlamini, Graduate in Training for Project Development at Pele Green Energy
Nombulelo joined Pele’s graduate programme, where she found true inspiration. Seeing the real impact of renewable energy on communities, she dreams of leading her own project one day. With Pele’s guidance, she’s gaining the expertise to help shape South Africa’s energy outcomes while growing as an individual.
Melinda Mayer, Founder of Ouma Skaapie
Melinda’s love for sewing opened doors for others to thrive. Through Knowledge Pele, she launched a sewing school, teaching children and adults a valuable craft. The programme helped her manage her bespoke nursery and baby items business more effectively. Now, she’s forging a path ahead, one stitch at a time.
Thapelo Motlogeloa, COO and Founder of Pele Energy Group
When Thapelo co-founded Pele, it started as a youth development initiative, using energy as a means to uplift communities. Fifteen years later, him and the team remains committed to industrialising rural areas, ensuring they are not left behind. With their third energy community now established, Pele’s evolution reflects a powerful step forward for South Africa.
Jaco Opperman, Principal of Katlehong Technical School
Jaco leads a school where technical mastery means opportunity. In a community battling high unemployment, Katlehong Technical School equips students with hands-on training, from engineering to drone technology. With solar power ensuring uninterrupted learning, students leave equipped for real jobs, with an education that can break cycles and open doors.
Aluwani Khomola, Project Engineer at Zero Point Energy
Aluwani played a key role in bringing solar energy to Katlehong Technical School. Over and above the installation, the project empowered local workers with new capabilities, training them to maintain and expand solar solutions. Now, with the skills and experience gained, local workers are building a brighter future for themselves.
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Founded in 2009, Pele Energy Group is dedicated to driving structural change by harnessing the power of innovative renewable energy projects and implementing tailored development programmes for the purpose of local economic development. At the heart of their strategy is the synergy between their operating subsidiaries Pele Green Energy (PGE) and Knowledge Pele (KP).
Over the past 15 years, PGE has delivered more than 3.5GW of projects that not only generate power but also serve as catalysts for significant transformation in South Africa’s energy landscape. These projects are designed to reshape the national grid, reduce dependency on conventional energy sources, and fortify the infrastructure needed for a modern economy.
Complimentarily, Knowledge Pele has impacted over 10,000 lives by linking their utility-scale power projects with investments in their host communities in the areas of human development, social infrastructure upgrades as well as the creation of new community industries.
Together, PGE and KP form a strategic ecosystem where each entity enhances and reinforces the other’s value—demonstrating that generating power and developing vulnerable communities are inseparable components in driving comprehensive structural change and fostering long-term socio-economic progress. They are proud to be pioneers in the energy sector, spearheading a new model of doing business that encompasses the environment and society as integral to commercial sustainability.
Their continued focus on innovation—evident in their appetite for new clean energy technologies and novel impact funding instruments for development —underscores a commitment to use power and knowledge as transformative tools for the betterment of South Africa, the African continent and the world at large.
