By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
The progress report for Operation Vulindlela phase II press briefing was held at the JSE in Sandton on Friday 31 October 2025, and spoke in areas regarding Water and sanitation, Spatial integration, electricity, and visa and immigration reform.
Operation Vulindlela (OV) is a joint initiative which is spearheaded by the Presidency and the National Treasury in order to accelerate the implementation of structural reforms as well as bolster economic recovery and prosperity.
The initiative was originally established in October of 2020 with the focus of the first phase being energy, logistics, water, telecommunications and the Visa system. This second phase has highlighted how much work has been done in terms of implementing these reforms in this second quarter of phase II.
In regards to the energy sector, work to establish a fully robust and competitive electricity market is now in the advanced stage as well as a new pipeline of private investment continues to grow. A framework has been set in place that will allow for independent transmission projects (ITPs) to be supported by the Transmission Development Plan to be put in place. OV is working hand in hand with the National Treasury and the Department of Electricity and Energy to implement a fully independent Transmission System Operator to be aligned with the requirements of the ERA. A recent survey done on the South African Renewable Energy Grid has shown that 220 GW of projects are now in development in the Private sector, only 72 GW are advanced. In November 2025 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) is expected to make a decision on the application for a Market Operator license by the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA), which followed a public hearing on September 30 , 2025. The South African Renewable Energy Grid Survey shows that 220 GW of solar, wind, and battery storage projects are currently in development which shows an increase from 134GW in 2024. The 153 MW Red Sands project which is under the second round of the battery storage procurement programme managed to achieve commercial closure as construction is set to begin in the Northern Cape. The Tournee Solar Park, a 300 MW solar project in Mpumalanga, is one of the first projects to reach financial closure through Eskom’s land lease programme, a programme which was implemented through the Energy Action Plan.
In regards to water reforms, The Water Services Amendment Bill was tabled in parliament following a cabinet approval in August. The bill outlines the separation of roles between Water Services Authorities (WSAs) and Water Service Providers (WSPs) and will introduce licensing requirements for the WSPs, as well as a more effective intervention when a WSP fails to deliver adequate service quality. The National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Amendment Bill was approved by the National Assembly on September 18, 2025, as it will allow the NWRIA to be established as a new entity. The Water Partnerships Office reached a key milestone within the Umhloti and Umkomaas wastewater public-private partnerships (PPPs) in eThekwini, as they move toward implementation. The Africa Water Investment Summit which was held in Cape Town from 13-15 August, showcased 80 bankable projects as 36 are from South Africa as they managed to secure US$12 billion in commitments.
In terms of Visa and Immigration reform, more than 35,000 group travellers from China and India have successfully received their visas through the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), which will allow them to visit South Africa. 65 tour operators joined the TTOS during the first phase as well as an estimate of 1,230 employment opportunities have been created for TTOS tourists.