Meet Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister of Electricity

Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is a prominent South African politician who has become significant following the country's dreaded return to loadshedding. When did Kgosientsho become the Minister of Electricity, and what qualifications does he have for the role?

Key takeaways

• Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is South Africa's Minister of Power and Energy and has been in politics since 2000.
• Kgosientsho was an ANC ward councillor in Tshwane between 2000 and 2005.
• He was elected Mayor of the City of Tshwane in 2010 and served in the role until 2016, and became Minister of Electricity in 2023.

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa's profile summary

Who is the Minister of Power and Energy in South Africa?

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa was appointed by Cyril Ramaphosa as the Minister of Electricity on March 6, 2023. In 2024, Kgosientsho's portfolio expanded, and he was formally named the Minister of Power and Energy on July 3, 2024. He spoke on Podcast and Chill with MacG in April 2024, and of the country's power issue, said:

'You’ll be sitting there at the restaurant and the lights go off and they look at you, it's real. You can see the pain it causes.'

Kgosientsho expressed this after radio personality and DJ Solomzi Phenduka and music producer and DJ Macgyver Mukwevho, jokingly turned the lights off without him knowing. The duo said it must be loadshedding, and when the minister denied this, the hosts let him in on the joke.

Exploring Kgosientsho Ramokgopa's early life

Although his birthplace is not stated, Kgosientsho's family hails from the Ga-Ramokgopa village in Limpopo. Kgosientsho was raised alongside his seven siblings in Atteridgeville, Gauteng, and resides in Pretoria.

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa's education and political ties

The experienced minister earned a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Durban-Westville. During his time here, Kgosientsho joined the political world through the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League and South African Student Congress (SASCO).

Additionally, Kgosientsho has two Master's Degrees in Public Administration and Business Leadership from the University of Pretoria (also known as Tuks) and a PhD in Public Affairs.

Who is Kgosientsho Ramokgopa's wife?

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s wife is Georgia Shekeshe, and the duo got married in January 2015 at a wine farm in the Western Cape on Kgosientsho's 40th birthday. This followed a traditional wedding ceremony in Atteridgeville, Gauteng in late 2014. Of the wedding plans, Kgosientsho said:

'It’s funny that I have to get married in another city instead of Tshwane, isn’t it? It is almost like not having faith in your city. However, what matters is that the decision was made by my wife, and that she is happy. I am hopeless with planning events like weddings.'

Happy wife, happy life

The South African minister further spoke highly of his wife, and was quoted in the same article expressing:

'My wife is a wonderful person. She changed my outlook on life. I am happy and have never looked back since I met her, and have no intention of doing so.'

During the Atteridgeville ceremony, the bride (Georgia) was named Mmatabudi in alignment with the Batlokwa culture. Culturally, the couple is also expected to name their next child Tabudi.

Who are Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s children?

Kgosientsho has one son named Matthew with Georgia Shekeshe, who was two years old when his parents wed. Kgosientsho met his now-wife while she worked as his assistant while he was the Mayor of Tshwane.

Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and ZCC's relationship

Kgosientsho has strong political ties to the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) and assisted them in acquiring 11 pieces of land across Tshwane in 2013, in response to the infamous 1913 Land Act, which also impacted ZCC. Kgosientsho gave the church the title deeds during a mass prayer meeting.

The church held festivities over a weekend at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, which included public figures like Paul Mashatile, Edna Molewa, Gwen Ramokgopa, Ngoako Ramatlhlodi, Zwelinzima Vavi, and Danny Jordaan. The former Mayor expressed the importance of the church in society and supporting them, stating:

'We want the ZCC to be in the forefront and inspire us to fight against corruption, and drugs like nyaope, and against poverty. We will only find peace when there is no family that goes hungry.'

Nepotism accusations

In late 2016, then-new Mayor Solly Msimanga accused Kgosientsho of nepotism during his time in the role, following the appointment of his sister as one of the procurement department's directors. Solly stated it was one of many instances of nepotism he uncovered, but there have been no further developments since.

Is Vuyiswa Ramokgopa related to Kgosientsho Ramokgopa?

South African politician, entrepreneur, and businesswoman Vuyiswa Ramokgopa is often wrongfully believed to be related to Kgosientsho, but the duo only share a surname and are not related. She was born Vuyiswa Mutshekwane and is married to Matome Mathabatha Ramokgopa.

Social media

As of April 29, 2025, Kgosientsho's Instagram page had 42.2K followers, and his X (Twitter) page had 161.1K followers. He also has a Facebook page with 61K followers.

Although Kgosientsho Ramokgopa became a national household name when he took on the role as Minister of Electricity, he has decades of experience in politics. Kgosientsho's former work with the Zion Christian Church shows his deep dedication to citizens of Tshwane and nationwide through his new role.

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Source: Briefly News