NERSA Invites Stakeholder Views On Draft Mediation And Arbitration Rules In South Africa

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has invited members of the public and industry stakeholders to participate in a virtual public hearing on its proposed Rules for mediation and arbitration.

The hearing is scheduled to take place on October 16, 2026, from 09:30 to 12:00 through Microsoft Teams. The consultation will allow interested stakeholders to review the draft rules and provide comments or formal representations on the proposed procedures for resolving disputes.

NERSA is the statutory regulator responsible for overseeing South Africa’s electricity, piped-gas and petroleum pipeline industries. The regulator operates under the National Energy Regulator Act of 2004 and has powers under the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006, as amended.

Section 30(3) of the Electricity Regulation Act gives NERSA the authority to prescribe rules and related fees for resolving disputes through mediation and arbitration. The proposed rules are intended to establish the procedures that will apply when such dispute-resolution mechanisms are used.

Stakeholders interested in participating in the consultation must register with NERSA by October 12, 2026, at 16:30. Those who wish to make formal presentations are required to submit a request before the deadline.

The draft rule documents are available through NERSA’s official website under the Electricity, Consultation and Notices sections. Stakeholders can also request copies of the documents by email.

Walter Mabunda is the designated contact representative for the public hearing. Interested parties can contact him on 012 401 4660 or email publichearings@nersa.org.za.

NERSA has also clarified that the public hearing will only proceed if stakeholders register to make representations concerning the draft rules. If no requests to present are received, the regulator will notify registered attendees and publish a cancellation notice on its website.

The consultation provides electricity-sector participants and other interested parties with an opportunity to provide input before NERSA finalises the proposed mediation and arbitration framework.