Makana Municipality’s mayor, speaker and municipal manager were among the guests invited to the official launch of a 94.5MW wind energy facility on parts of Table Farm and adjacent Brakkloof, about 15km north-west of Makhanda. The project, named ‘Wind Garden’ is owned and operated by South African renewable energy independent power producer NOA.
Makana mayor Yandiswa Vara delivered the keynote address. She was joined by municipal manager Pumelelo Maxwell Kate, speaker Mthuthuzeli ‘Mabuti’ Matyumza, as well as representatives from the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, and the Department of Education.
In her speech, Vara expressed the municipality’s full support for the development.
“We will give all the necessary support, understanding very well the nature of this project and how our relationship should be shaped as a public-private partnership. We trust that you will contribute meaningfully to changing and improving the economic development of the Makana Local Municipality,” she said.
In a media release, the following information was shared:
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Wind Garden will consist of 21 turbines, each with a capacity of 4.5MW, and a tower height of 112 metres;
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Once operational, the wind farm is expected to generate approximately 293 GWh annually;
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The construction phase is set to create more than 300 temporary jobs, with “a significant portion” reserved for local labour. In addition to direct employment, the developers promise long-term community benefits through targeted social investment initiatives in education and skills development, infrastructure improvement, entrepreneurship and enterprise development, and conservation and eco-tourism.
NOA CEO Karel Cornelissen said construction of the Wind Garden wind farm was expected to continue into 2026, with commercial operations set to start shortly thereafter.
The following information was shared in the media release and following subsequent queries from Talk of the Town.
About the location
Table Farm and Brakkloof are about 15km north-west of Makhanda, on the R350 to Bedford. Here are the specifics:
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Remaining extent of the farm Brakkloof Nr 183
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Remainder of the farm Table Hill Farm No 187
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Portion 2 (a portion of Portion 1) of Table Hill Farm No 187
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Remainder of Portion 1 of the farm Table Hill number 187
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Portion 1 of 189 Farm 692
About the new facility and the project owner and operator
Wind Garden is a 94.5MW wind energy facility. The project is wholly owned by NOA Group, an integrated energy utility that develops, constructs, and operates large-scale wind, solar, and battery energy storage facilities. NOA provides fully financed, grid-wheeled renewable energy solutions tailored to commercial and industrial customers, helping them reduce energy costs and achieve their net zero goals. In addition to building and operating its own assets, NOA acts as an aggregator, sourcing electricity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) across South Africa. Wind Garden forms part of NOA’s growing IPP portfolio.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 29, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
