South Africa

Ms.
Zola
Hlatshwayo

Energy Infrastructure Entrepreneur 

zola

Ms Zola Hlatshwayo has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from University of Cape Town, South Africa. She started her career in 1997 and has experience in development and enforcement of legislation, community based natural resources management, environmental impact assessment, heritage site management, waste management, construction of energy infrastructure, entrepreneurship and project management to name a few.

Ms Zola Hlatshwayo currently is an Executive Director and Shareholder in Mkhulu EDP, which is a powerline construction company that focusses on Transmission Powerlines up to 765kV where she drives various initiatives to see increase in involvement of women in a male dominated field. 

Ms Zola Hlatshwayo’s interests include guiding women that have the drive and are looking for opportunities to own and run companies that will transcend stereotypes and conquer blue ocean markets. In this pursuit she holds shares and is a Director in other smaller companies that are black women owned.

Ms Zola Hlatshwayo also serves in the Board of Powerline Associate of South Africa (POALSA) for the past few years. POLASA is mainly responsible for ensuring the sustainability of the South African Powerline Construction Industry through strengthening localisation initiatives, giving input on the necessity and quality of imported material relevant to this industry and facilitating industry participation in shaping industry requirements and integrity.

Ms Zola Hlatshwayo passion is in taking an active role in changing the industry to reflect a more accurate representation of the population, especially having realised that there are a lot of new entrants that fail at getting a foot in the door due to abstract requirements (that have nothing to do with capability) that automatically exclude them from participating or that if they do get opportunities they are given ceiling which inhibit growth beyond a certain level thus maintaining status quo of main players.

Her personal quotable quote is “Actively participating, driving change and growth in the energy space “