By Veron Maharaj, Product Marketing Specialist, Smart Buildings Division, ABB Electrification
Wherever there are people, there is infrastructure. From the electricity that powers our vibrant cities to the clean water that nourishes our communities, infrastructure is the unseen force that shapes our daily lives and determines our quality of life. Yet, much like the air we breathe, it’s often only noticed when something goes wrong. With South Africa grappling with challenges like rapid urbanisation, climate change, and resource scarcity, it is clear that our infrastructure must evolve to become smarter, more resilient, and sustainable, ensuring it can meet the needs of today and tomorrow.
As ABB Electrification, we believe the infrastructure of the future must do more than support daily operations; it must anticipate them. With over 130 years’ experience in electrification and a presence in more than 100 countries, including South Africa, ABB is committed to building intelligent systems that connect and optimise infrastructure across sectors. We are reimagining how airports operate, how ports manage energy, how cities move people, and how utilities deliver critical services, using digital technologies to improve efficiency, reliability, and sustainability.
The world is amid a global transition. To meet the climate targets outlined in the Paris Agreement, a staggering $13.5 trillion must be invested in energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies by 2030. This shift requires not just investment, but innovation. ABB is at the forefront of this transformation, delivering smart, connected solutions that reduce environmental impact while enhancing performance.
Our work spans critical sectors where infrastructure challenges are complex and growing, particularly in South Africa. In the aviation sector, we assist local airports in enhancing safety, improving passenger experiences, and addressing the environmental impact of the industry, which contributes about 2% to global CO₂ emissions.
With South Africa’s airports continuously evolving to meet global standards, ABB’s solutions help ensure operational efficiency and sustainability. In water management, we support utilities grappling with the pressures of rising urban demand and significant water losses, with some areas losing up to 30% of water through leakage.
ABB’s advanced solutions are integral in optimising water distribution networks, addressing the ongoing challenges posed by South Africa’s water scarcity and ageing infrastructure. In land transportation, we enable smarter mobility solutions that balance traffic safety, energy efficiency, and environmental impact. And in the ports sector, we provide the technologies needed to increase throughput and automate container handling, all while reducing carbon emissions in a space where 90% of global trade takes place.
The telecommunications industry is rapidly evolving. With customer expectations at an all-time high, the need for resilient, scalable infrastructure has never been greater. ABB is enabling telecom operators to deploy robust digital solutions that keep people connected no matter where they are. We want to be at the forefront of this digital migration happening in South Africa and on the continent.
A key differentiator of ABB lies in our ability to combine global expertise with local delivery, particularly in South Africa. Our team of 53,000 professionals, working across 200 manufacturing sites globally, brings deep local knowledge and expertise to every project, ensuring that our solutions are customised to meet South Africa’s specific needs while adhering to global best practices.
Through our ABB Ability™ platform, we integrate cutting-edge technologies such as edge computing, cloud connectivity, analytics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity into infrastructure management. These innovations empower our customers in South Africa with real-time insights and predictive capabilities, driving efficiency and sustainability in key sectors such as energy, water, and transportation, while contributing to South Africa’s ongoing digital transformation.
In the smart buildings space, we deliver energy and asset management solutions that allow owners, operators and governments to reduce operating costs, improve sustainability, and enhance occupant comfort. With embedded software and intelligent devices, our systems continuously monitor and adapt to usage patterns, ensuring optimal performance while minimising waste.
A growing focus area for ABB is e-mobility, which is slowly gaining traction in South Africa as infrastructure develops. With road transport responsible for more than 75% of transport-related CO₂ emissions globally, and passenger cars alone accounting for 60%, electric mobility is a cornerstone of the net-zero transition. At ABB, we are powering this shift with charging solutions for every application, from residential EV chargers to high-power highway stations and fleet-scale electrification for buses and trucks.
Electrified transportation, when combined with renewable energy, has the potential to significantly reduce emissions and improve air quality in many South African cities. This transition is not just a technological imperative, but a societal one, as it addresses the country’s pressing challenges of air pollution and traffic congestion. Cleaner transport means healthier cities, reduced noise pollution, and more livable communities, especially in urban centres like Johannesburg and Cape Town, where pollution levels are a growing concern.
Ultimately, the future of infrastructure in South Africa is one where systems are seamlessly integrated, intelligently managed, and environmentally responsible. It is a future where connectivity drives efficiency in sectors such as energy, transportation, and water, where digital tools enable predictive maintenance to avoid system failures, and where electrification paves the way for a carbon-neutral South Africa, contributing to the country’s climate goals and sustainable development.
At ABB Electrification, we are proud to be shaping this future. Through our partnerships, technology, and passion for progress, we are helping businesses, industries, and governments to design and deliver infrastructure that meets the demands of today, while safeguarding the possibilities of tomorrow.
