Seemela was smart as an engineer and executive
Rest in peace my brother, you’ve left indelible mark at Nersa
I met Dennis Seemela in the 1990s at Eskom where we worked in similar divisions as engineers.
We had ego issues then about where one got their engineering degree, and it was an accepted fact that those who graduated from Wits University were more superior engineers than those from other universities like Natal or UCT.
Dennis was a very smart guy, not many people who went to Wits then got to complete their degrees in their stipulated time and Dennis is one of the very few to achieve that feat.
When he joined Nersa (National Energy Regulator of SA), he really struggled to call me Mr Bukula, as it was the practised etiquette at Nersa, and many times when we would have disagreements in my office, he would be quick to say, “Thembani, listen… listen… listen…” in that calm demeanour of his.
If we still did not agree, he would then ask if we could go and settle the matter like men on the roof of the Nersa building, which I had a key to. I would agree and when we get to the roof, I would warn him not to lock the door as he might need to open it under very different conditions than when he locked it.
Needless to say though, we would settle matters without the need to call an ambulance. But whenever the settlement was not exactly in his favour, he would always say, with a smile, “N’ta ku ba wena” (I will smack you in Shangaan), as we are shaking hands that we have reached an agreement.
I didn’t know what that meant until one day I heard him say it when he was angry, and I was completely taken aback.
I am glad I was given the opportunity to at least write a tribute to be read at his memorial service, because he had “banned” me from ever speaking again at a memorial service after I had broken down at Tirhani’s memorial service.
After the memorial service he called me to the side and said: “Men don’t cry, so how could you do that, I will arrange that Charles Hlebela speaks at the funeral or I’ll take over myself,” which he did.
Seemela, as Nersa’s head of electricity licencing, compliance and dispute resolution, led a team that executed their functions exceptionally well. More than 100 IPPs (independent power producers) were licensed during his term and all of them were completed ahead of schedule.
This was the first of its kind in SA.
Over the years I have watched him with pride when he would navigate through the complex issues of licensing and dispute resolution.
He empowered many of his colleagues and any one of them can take the baton from him.
I last spoke to him on Tuesday, and we had agreed to meet on Wednesday, the very day he passed on.
Dennis, my friend, you have done your part, you ran your own race in your own pace.
Rest in peace my brother.
■ Bukula is chairperson of the National Energy Regulator of SA
‘‘ I’ve watched with pride his dealing with complex licensing