Two South African companies with strong Indian ties have signed an important agreement to help tackle the country’s ongoing water and electricity crisis. Imbanita Consulting and Engineering Services, a joint venture between Imbani Holdings and Tata Africa, joined hands with Ion Exchange’s South African subsidiary, which specializes in water and environmental management solutions. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Indian Consul General’s office in Johannesburg.
Bish Chakraborty, CEO of Imbanita, highlighted that his company could play a crucial role in reducing load-shedding, which has left many parts of South Africa without power for extended periods. These power shortages have significantly affected the country’s economy, and Imbanita is in a strong position to contribute to power generation solutions.
Gourish Chakravorty, CEO of Ion Exchange Safic, emphasized that his company has been addressing South Africa’s water supply issues for 17 years, while its Indian counterpart has been doing the same for over four decades. He pointed out that India faced similar power and water shortages 30 years ago but has since overcome them. He believes that South Africa can benefit from India’s experience in solving these challenges.
Partnering with a Tata-linked company strengthens the collaboration, making it easier to implement practical solutions in South Africa. Mahesh Kumar, India’s Consul General, praised the agreement, noting that it was one of the positive outcomes of the Matla-Urja energy conference hosted last year. He described water and energy shortages as major obstacles to economic progress and welcomed this initiative as a step toward resolving them.
