Courses and Disciplines taught at WBS:
Energy Policy and Regulation
Research Interests:
Energy; liquid fuels policy, pricing and regulation; electricity policy, pricing and regulation
Industry and Professional Experience:
Rod Crompton started the African Energy Leadership Centre at Wits Business School after over 40 years in the energy and chemical fields in various African countries. Previous experience includes 11 years as a full-time board member at the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and seven years as the Deputy Director General at the Department of Minerals and Energy where he was responsible for hydrocarbons and energy planning. He has also worked at the Department of Trade and Industry and was managing director of the Minerals and Energy Policy Centre. Prior to joining Wits he ran Crompton Consulting. Whilst at the AELC he has provided consulting services to Deloitte, Department of Economic Development, FTI Consulting, Sasol, Webber Wentzel. Rod has served on the boards of several companies and is currently a non-executive Director at Eskom, Africa’s largest electricity utility. He is also on the boards of the South African National Energy Association (SANEA) and the South African Association for Energy Economics (SAAEE).
SANEA Honorary Life Membership.
Recent Publications and Scholarly Contributions:
Bohlmann, H., & Crompton, R. (2020). The impact on the South African economy of alternative regulatory arrangements in the petroleum sector. WIDER Working Paper 2020/153. Helsinki: UNU-WIDER. (https://www.wider.unu.edu/publication/impact-south-african-economy-alternative-regulatory-arrangements-petroleum-sector)
Crompton, R., & Kaziboni, L. (2020) Lost opportunities? Barriers to entry and Transnet’s procurement of 1 064 locomotives. In T. Vilakazi, S. Goga & S. Roberts (Eds.), Opening the South African Economy, Barriers to Entry and Competition, (pp 199-215). HSRC Press: Cape Town.
Crompton, R., Sing, M., Filter, V., & Msimango, N. (2020). Petrol price regulation in South Africa: Is it meeting its intended objectives? WIDER Working Paper 2020/140. Helsinki: UNU-WIDER. (https://www.wider.unu.edu/publication/petrol-price-regulation-south-africa)
Crompton, R., Fessehaie, J., Kaziboni, L., & Zengeni, T. (2016). Railway Locomotives and Transnet: A Case Study. Centre for Competition Regulation and Economic Development, University of Johannesburg.
Recent Media:
Crompton, R. (2021). The vulnerable points in South Africa’s fuel supply chain. The Conversation. (https://theconversation.com/the-vulnerable-points-in-south-africas-fuel-supply-chain-164693)
July 2021, article on Moneyweb: The vulnerable points in South Africa's fuel supply chain (https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/industry/the-vulnerable-points-in-south-africas-fuel-supply-chain/)
May 2021, presentation on SAGOA Natural Gas.
May 2021, interview on Business Day TV: (https://youtu.be/wslZ5hDtXzY)
April 2021, interview on Cape Talk’s Midday Report: (https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/413901/total-suspends-all-new-gas-exploration-near-the-coast-of-south-africa)
April 2021, article in The Citizen, Fuel, power hikes but green techno out of reach (https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-citizen-kzn/20210412/281608128251220)
March 2021, Engineering News: Policymaking will determine future of oil in Africa.
Crompton, R. (2020). South Africa’s electricity supply: What’s tripping the switch? The Conversation. (https://theconversation.com/south-africas-electricity-supply-whats-tripping-the-switch-151331)
Crompton, R., & Scholes, R. (2019). What a major offshore gas find means for South Africa’s energy future. The Conversation. (https://theconversation.com/what-a-major-offshore-gas-find-means-for-south-africas-energy-future-111503)
Crompton, R. (2019) Explainer: Why South Africa’s energy generator is in so much trouble, The Conversation, (https://theconversation.com/explainer-why-south-africas-energy-generator-is-in-so-much-trouble-111510)
Walwyn, D., & Crompton, R. (2019). South Africa has huge ‘green fuels’ potential. But it needs to act now. The Conversation. (https://theconversation.com/south-africa-has-huge-green-fuelspotential-but-it-needs-to-act-now-129009)
Crompton, R. (2016). South Africa needs to get out of its petrochemicals cul-de-sac. The Conversation. (https://theconversation.com/south-africa-needs-to-get-out-of-its-petrochemicals-cul-de-sac-67328)