Well-known energy industry personality Nelisiwe Magubane, who served as director-general in the then Department of Energy for several years, has died at the age of 56 after a short illness.

An electrical engineer, she began her professional career at Eskom, after completing a BSc Electrical Engineering (Heavy Current) at the University of Natal in the early 1990s.

She also held a postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, from the University of West London and an MBA from Milpark Business School.

In January 2018, Magubane was appointed as a nonexecutive director at Eskom, serving on the board appointed to deal with the damage caused by years of State capture and corruption at the utility.

Eskom expressed sadness at the premature and untimely passing of Magubane.

“At Eskom we remember Ms Magubane as an outstanding, engaged and supportive board member who also played a significant role in bringing much-needed electricity industry experience to the 2018 board and outstanding, clean administration of the country’s energy policy during her time in the government,” the utility said in a statement.

At the time of her death, Magubane was serving as chairperson for Strategic Fuel Fund.

After a stint in the private sector as a consulting electrical engineer, she initially joined the Department of Minerals and Energy in 2000, as the chief director responsible for the restructuring of the electricity sector, planning and implementation of the electrification programme.

Magubane was later appointed as a deputy director-general responsible for the development of the policies that govern electricity, nuclear and clean energy, before her appointment as director-general of energy in December 2009.

She oversaw the publication of the country’s inaugural Integrated Resource Plan and was also a central figure in the implementation of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which was launched in 2011, and was later held up to be one of the most successful renewables auction programmes globally.

Magubane is also understood to have withstood strong political pressure to back the Russian nuclear deal, which was supported by then President Jacob Zuma. It is understood that she was eased out of her position as director-general as a direct consequence of her opposition to the deal.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the Central Energy Fund both expressed sadness, saying in a statement that Magubane "served the Republic of South Africa with utmost dedication and excellence in various roles she occupied in the public service".

As an entrepreneur and a fervent gender equality advocate, she established Matleng Energy Solutions, a 70% women-owned company that provides various energy solutions. She was a member of the Women In Energy association.

With skills in science, engineering, technology and policymaking, Magubane served on various boards in both the public and private sector.

Besides Eskom and the SFF, she played a leadership role at Aurecon, the Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities, the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa, Foskor and JSE-listed AngloGold Ashanti.

She is survived by her daughter, elder brother and elder sister.