CIGRE, the global power systems forum of which ACTOM became a member in mid-2020, recently appointed Sibusiso Duma, Engineering Manager of High Voltage Equipment (HVE), as Representative of its Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Equipment Study Committee for Southern Africa.
The committee, known as the A3 Study Committee, is one of a total of 16 study committees representing sub-sectors of a range of industrial sectors that act on CIGRE’s behalf in furthering its aim of developing and providing technical solutions in power applications in their respective fields.
“I’m delighted that Sibusiso has been chosen for this post and congratulate him for it, as it is very well-deserved. This is a very important appointment from ACTOM’s point of view, as it is sure to strengthen its ability to gain the significant benefits available to it through its membership of CIGRE,” said Casbah Zwane, HVE’s Divisional CEO.
“As the Representative for the A3 Study Committee in the region, Sibusiso occupies a pivotal position that gives him access to all cutting-edge advances and innovations relating to T&D equipment around the world as soon as they become available and made known to all players in this field. In addition, the A3 Study Committee provides a useful forum for everyone involved to extend their knowledge and understanding of new developments in T&D technologies as they happen. All this can only be to the good as far as ACTOM is concerned,” Casbah commented.
Sibusiso, who holds a B-Tech degree in Power Engineering and an MBA, has 22 years’ work experience in a variety of technical and management positions in industry.
His appointment for six years as Representative of the A3 Study Committee for Southern Africa took effect when he attended CIGRE’s biennial world conference in Paris in August this year.
“My duties, amongst other things, include chairing A3 Study Committee meetings, providing feedback to the Southern African community on global activities in A3, overseeing the work of the local A3 Working Groups, and encouraging young engineers and experts to join and participate in the A3 Committee,” Sibusiso said.
The local A3 Working Groups, which undertake projects that include research, design, problem-solving, provision of guidance, producing technical brochures and green books, conducting training sessions and running workshops, maintain regular contact with many of CIGRE’s other A3 Working Groups around the world.
Sibusiso is one of the first non-Eskom employees to be appointed by CIGRE as a Study Committee Representative in the region. “The CIGRE study committees in Southern Africa have been dominated by representatives from Eskom until recently, but this is now changing,” he commented.
