Phuti Senyatsi, Portfolio Manager at Sanlam Alternative Investments

Wetility powers ahead with impact-driven debt capital, creating equitable employment in South Africa

Sanlam Investments recently concluded its financing solution with alternative energy systems provider Wetility Finance, demonstrating how investments in Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) can help lead the nation’s shift to new energy solutions – and create social impact.

Wetility’s growth has been catalysed by innovative financing from Sanlam Investments’ 104+ SMME Growth and Empowerment Solutions programme. The 104+ platform supports SMMEs by partnering with investors, funders and development groups, giving them the funding and market access needed to succeed.

“By using impact-driven debt capital, Wetility has grown quickly while staying true to its values of affordability, local focus and inclusion,” says Phuti Senyatsi, portfolio manager at Sanlam Alternative Investments. “The financing model shows that youth-led businesses are not just viable, but vital – especially when capital is designed to unlock, not constrain.” Over 70% of Wetility’s 72 employees are under age 35.

“This was a deliberate investment aimed at harnessing South Africa’s untapped youth in a highly technical, exclusive sector,” says Senyatsi. “At Wetility, young recruits are developed, not just hired. From entry-level technicians to mid-management, the company invests in upskilling and mobility, building a workforce ready for long-term leadership in the green economy.”

Additionally, women make up 44.4% of Wetility’s staff, in technical, operations and finance roles. “The company is intentional about inclusive leadership. Currently, 29 team members are in management or supervisory positions, many of whom are women or Black youth. In a sector where women are underrepresented, Wetility challenges the status quo," says Senyatsi.

“Their gender-forward approach informs their future vision. They aim to bring more women onto contractor and technical teams, once closed to them. The company is also localising 80% of its supply chain, creating opportunities for black and women-owned businesses,” he adds.

Wetility’s contractor network, focused on technical installs, is being trained to handle maintenance, helping communities grow skills. Most employees are also customers, fostering a shared mission. Wetility empowers people and businesses to make clean energy manageable. Its lease-to-own model brings affordable solar power to energy-poor communities – a platform for shared prosperity, not a privilege. With zero upfront cost, the system helps underserved households escape the instability of the grid. “The real power is embedding ownership into each solar panel – delivering not just energy, but economic agency,” says Thabang Selota, ESG and Impact Analyst at Sanlam Investments.

“As a catalytic partner in the 104+ SMME Solutions platform, Wetility fuses clean energy innovation with radical economic inclusion, demonstrating how youth-led enterprise can deliver climate resilience, gender parity, and financial empowerment in tandem,” says Selota.

Wetility is currently expanding into townships and peri-urban areas, bringing not just solar energy but also jobs, training, and ownership. The company plans to internalise its maintenance capabilities, creating new skilled roles as it deepens its localisation strategy.

“Wetility’s journey shows what the future of clean energy in South Africa could look like – fair, inclusive, and sustainable,” Selota concludes. “Businesses like this do more than power homes or offer solutions to urgent problems. They give people hope, and we are proud to support them.”