Elizabeth Marabwa is Chief Director: Programme and Projects Management Offices at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. A qualified project manager, Elizabeth is a board member of the South African National Energy Association and lectures at WITS University.

For the last 15 years she has been involved in energy from a regulatory and policy point of view and covered liquid fuels, gas and electricity. Elizabeth has significant exposure to the international energy arena, and has worked with the IEA, UN, CEM, SADC, other governments in Africa and world-wide. She has been a reviewer of the World Energy Outlook published by the International Energy Agency and has provided expert advice, commented on and chaired sessions on the Africa Energy Outlook.

We had the opportunity to chat with Elizabeth to hear what she has to say about being a powerful Woman in Energy in Africa.

Why do you believe in Africa’s energy sector?

Africa is faced with energy poverty. Lack of energy affects the economic growth and development of Africa. It is therefore important to ensure that the catalyst for economic growth in the continent is unlocked.

What is your advice for women who say they struggle to make themselves heard in the workplace?

Women need to identify sponsors who strategically representative them at executive level in any organisation.

How do you deal with women competing with each other in the workplace?

Competition is healthy, but negative competition is not good for anyone. Negative competition should be discouraged, and women need to be exposed to networking sessions where they understand each other and learn to support each other.

If you were your country's energy minister what would you do to make it easier for women to enter/stay/thrive in the energy sector?

I would request that all senior managers’ performance should include a performance indicator that rewards managers who employ, retain and promote women in their areas of responsibility. Once management is also affected economically on any matter, there is a tendency to respond positively. I would also request a representative workforce which takes into consideration women, youth and people with disabilities and set expected targets and request monitoring and verification reports on implementation progress.

What is your favourite book/quote to recommend as inspiration to others?

"If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward" - Martin Luther King Jr.