GoSolr’s women leaders drive South Africa’s renewable energy growth

Dharmisha Lala-Harmse. Image supplied.

Dharmisha Lala-Harmse — the law of solar

As legal counsel at GoSolr, Dharmisha Lala-Harmse’s days span contracts, compliance, customer disputes, litigation and legal risk management, working across almost every team in the business.

She joined in March 2025, drawn to renewable energy because it combines innovation with real social impact.

“Reliable energy is a daily concern for many South Africans,” she says, “and it is meaningful to use my legal experience in a business that is helping address that challenge.”

Working across both the legal and renewable energy sectors—two industries that remain male-dominated—has taught her to trust her own expertise and use her voice with confidence.

She describes learning to stand firmly in that expertise, particularly in environments where women may still have to work harder to be heard, as one of the biggest challenges of her career.

“You do not need to change who you are to lead or make an impact,” she says.

She is proudest of building a career where she can use the law to solve real problems, and at GoSolr, of helping develop legal and compliance processes that protect the business while promoting fairness and accountability.

Her advice to any woman considering the industry is simple: “Do not wait until you feel completely ready. Be curious, learn the industry and trust that your perspective has value.”

Looking ahead, she hopes to see more women in technical, legal and senior decision-making roles, with real influence over the direction of the industry.

“Representation matters,” she says, “however, women must also be supported, heard and trusted to lead.”

Tanya Jooste. Image supplied.

Tanya Jooste — the solar compliance

Tanya Jooste, head of customer experience and compliance at GoSolr, spends her days making sure customers are happy, processes work, and the business stays on the right side of the rules.

When she joined as a compliance manager, solar was completely unfamiliar territory.

What began as an attempt to understand how compliance fit into a fast-moving industry turned into a genuine fascination with the technology itself, from panels and batteries to inverters and system performance.

“I never imagined I’d be learning about wiring standards, DB boards, inverters, batteries, and all the technical things that come with solar,” she says.

“There were moments where I felt completely out of my depth.”

Her biggest career challenge has been a different kind of growth: learning when not to step in.

As someone who instinctively wants to fix what she sees needs improving, she had to learn that real leadership sometimes means stepping back, trusting her team, and giving people room to own their work and grow into it.

She traces much of her resilience back to her father, who worked as a car guard at auctions while studying accounting.

“Watching that level of determination taught me that success isn’t about having the easiest path,” she says.

“It’s about showing up, doing the work, and refusing to quit when things get hard.”

Her advice for women considering the industry: “You don’t need to know everything on day one.

“Ask questions, stay curious and don’t be afraid to get stuck in.”

She hopes that women in renewable energy stop being the exception and become part of the norm, recognised for the value they bring and the leadership they contribute.

Natalie Thom. Image supplied.

Natalie Thom — building alignment

Natalie Thom leads strategic, business-critical initiatives at GoSolr, aligning teams and turning ambiguous problems into clear plans with defined ownership and metrics.

Her path into renewable energy started outside the company.

During six years at Xfacta, GoSolr was one of her clients, giving her a close view of the business as it grew; she also installed a solar system at her home in early 2023, becoming a customer before she became an employee.

“What attracted me was the combination of purpose and innovation,” she says.

She joined GoSolr just under three years ago as a special projects lead and has since moved into an executive role, helping build accountability and clarity within the development function.

As a woman in the industry, she says there are moments of playing catch-up.

“Most women aren’t raised understanding DB boards, AC/DC, or how solar systems work, so I’ve had to learn a lot along the way,” she says.

“But that’s been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.”

Often the only woman in the room, she has come to see that as a chance to bring a different perspective rather than a disadvantage.

Her biggest career challenge was less technical and more personal: finding work she genuinely enjoyed, not just work she was good at, while learning to balance guidance with giving people room to grow.

She is proudest simply of still being here nearly three years on, having made an impact at GoSolr while raising young children and keeping a close-knit family life running.

Her advice to women weighing a career in renewable energy: “Don’t let the fact that it’s a traditionally male-dominated industry put you off.

“The sector needs diverse perspectives, and women are playing an increasingly important role in its growth, success and leadership.”