The Coega Development Corporation (Coega) and Eskom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a strategic framework for cooperation in support of South Africa’s Nuclear New Build Programme (NNBP).
The MoU sets out the basis for collaboration between the two state-owned entities across key focus areas including infrastructure development, industrialisation and localisation, regulatory and site readiness, skills and supplier development, logistics coordination, and socio-economic investment initiatives.
All cooperation will be undertaken within a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework that prioritises safety, environmental integrity, and fiscal accountability, the two parties say.
Eskom, as South Africa’s designated owner and operator of nuclear generation assets, plays a central role in the implementation of the NNBP. Through this MoU, Coega will act as a catalytic enabler by leveraging its expertise in large-scale infrastructure development, investment facilitation, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) management, skills development, and enterprise and supplier development to support nuclear deployment objectives.
The chief nuclear officer of Eskom, Velaphi Ntuli, says the partnership marks an important milestone in strengthening institutional collaboration in support of long-term energy security.
“The signing of this MoU between Eskom and the Coega is not merely a formal agreement, but a statement of shared intent and signals an alignment between two strategic state entities unifying around a strategic priority.,” Ntuli says. “It signifies our unified approach in dealing with socio-economic issues under a sound regulatory framework.
“The NNBP is about more than megawatts – it is about industrialisation, organisation, skills development, but most importantly, inclusive economic growth executed safely, transparently and within the rule of law,” he adds. “We believe that Coega brings proven capability in infrastructure development and investment facilitation, as a catalytic enabler of the NNBP. Let’s ensure that the agreement moves us from vision to tangible outcomes for the people of South Africa.”
Through this collaboration, the parties will work jointly to advance site readiness initiatives, logistics and laydown area development, documentation and configuration management, environmental compliance, spatial planning, and the development of a competitive domestic nuclear value chain.
Themba Koza, CEO of Coega, says the agreement positions the organisation as a key strategic partner in supporting South Africa’s nuclear ambitions.
“This MoU affirms Coega’s catalytic role in enabling strategic national programmes,” Koza says. “By aligning our infrastructure development capabilities, SEZ platform, project management expertise, and socio-economic development mandate with Eskom’s nuclear programme we aim to ensure that the NNBP delivers inclusive growth, localisation, skills development, and sustainable economic participation – particularly for communities in the Eastern Cape.”
Key areas of cooperation under the MoU include coordinated stakeholder engagement processes, localisation and skills development initiatives aligned with national nuclear competency requirements, development of project labour management frameworks, supplier and SMME development, mobilisation of development finance, environmental management and compliance, and the implementation of targeted social investment programmes including education, work readiness, and life skills development initiatives.