Home / People / Bridgett Majola
Portrait ofBridgett Majola

Bridgett Majola

Partner
Banking & Finance | Head of Project Finance: Energy & Infrastructure

CMS RM Partners
82 Maude Street
3rd Floor
Sandton
2196 Sandton
Johannesburg
South Africa
Languages Zulu, English

Bridgett Majola is a Banking & Finance lawyer and the Head of Project Finance: Energy & Infrastructure in Johannesburg. She is the chairperson of the Future Leaders Network, under the auspices of the International Project Finance Association and the Chair of IPFA South Africa Council.

Bridgett focuses her practice on various forms of debt finance, including project finance and leveraged loan facilities. She has experience in drafting facility agreements, security documents and other finance documents for various debt finance structures and has counselled project sponsors and finance parties on energy and infrastructure projects, particularly renewable energy projects focusing on solar, CSP, wind energy, biomass plants under the South African Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme.

 

more less

Bridgett is very professional, with a pleasant demeanour, which makes her a great asset to the team.

Head: Credit Restructuring & Advisory of a leading commercial bank in South Africa

Bridgett is able to clearly articulate legal matters and communicate well with all stakeholders. She is hardworking and always willing to extend herself to go the extra mile. She has a keen eye for detail and drafting of documents of a high standard

Head: Credit Restructuring & Advisory of a leading commercial bank in South Africa

An increasingly prominent lawyer based in Johannesburg who focuses her practice on various forms of debt finance, including leveraged loan facilities. She has also counselled lenders on energy and infrastructure projects.

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, Banking & Finance | Bridgett Majola, Up and Coming, 2023

Clients say, "I would highly recommend Bridgett. She was a pleasure to deal with and very quick to respond to and resolve all matters".

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, Banking & Finance | Bridgett Majola, Up and Coming, 2023

Bridgett ensured that all of our commercial prerequisites and requirements were not only incorporated into the transaction agreements, but were understood by all counterparties.

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, 2024

Bridgett is very pragmatic and her approach is solutions-oriented.

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, 2024

I would highly recommend Bridgett.

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, 2024

Bridgett Majola is smart, practical and hardworking. She’s easy to work with and very responsive.

Legal500, South Africa, Banking & Finance, 2024

Relevant experience

Project Finance

  • Development Bank of Southern Africa - on a term loan facility for KTVR Bus Service Proprietary Limited to finance its bus fleet as part of the roll-out of phase one of the "Harambee" bus rapid transit network in Ekurhuleni, South Africa.
  • Lender's counsel to Nedbank Limited and ABSA Bank Limited - on the development of the Ngodwana Energy biomass project in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa as part of Round 3.5 of the South African Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme.
  • Nedbank Limited, The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, Absa Bank Limited, Investec Limited, the Industrial Development Corporation Limited, the Development Bank of Southern Africa Limited, the Public Investment Corporation SOC Limited (acting on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund) and the Vantage GreenX Fund Proprietary Limited (as lenders) - in respect of the project financing of the 100MW Ilangalethu concentrated solar power project in the Northern Cape (Upington), under Round 3 of the South African Government's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement (REIPPP) Programme. The project was awarded the Africa Solar Energy Deal of the Year by Project Finance International at the time.
  • Nedbank Limited - in respect of the Zeerust solar photovoltaic project and the Drooogfontein II solar PV projects which have been awarded preferred bidder status in the fourth bidding phase of the REIPPP Programme prior to Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (SA) Limited was the lead equity member.
  • Maia Capital Partners - in the provision of a mezzanine loan facility in the amount of R100 million to FinCredit Proprietary Limited to address the need in the market for more affordable credit products aimed at low to middle income households.
  • Tamela - in providing a mezzanine loan facility in the amount of R30 million to The Digs, a company that provides purpose built student accommodation at the medical and health campus at the University of Stellenbosch.

General Banking & Finance

  • FirstRand Bank Limited (acting through its Rand Merchant Bank division) and Standard Bank of South Africa - on its funding in Tiso Blackstar Group (publisher of the Business Day, the Sunday Times, Sowetan and other titles), pursuant to the company's rearrangement of its various debt facilities which saw the disposal of the Company's radio assets to the Lebashe Investment Group. The Lebashe Investment Group is set to be one the key players in the digital and content sectors in South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya with its acquisition of Tiso Blackstar in these jurisdictions.
  • The Development Bank of Southern Africa - on Post-Commencement Finance Term Credit Facility loan to South African Airways (SAA), to assist SAA with its current business rescue proceedings. 
  • A group of lenders including International Finance Corporation, Absa Bank Limited and Rand Merchant Bank (acting through its Corporate and Investment Banking division) - on a notes issuance and financing for Petra Diamonds, the Southern African diamond mining group.
  • African Export-Import Bank - in respect of its financing to Mota-Engil Engenharia E Construcao Africa S.A. 

Trade & Commodities Finance

  • Rabobank - on an agricultural commodities borrowing base facility for RCMA Commodities South Africa.
  • An international bank - in connection with a structured trade finance facility.

Regulatory Advice

  • JP Morgan Chase - on all aspects of compliance in respect of regulation of branch offices of South African banks.
  • Accenture - in respect of regulatory requirements pertaining to financial planning and analysis, outsourcing services, procure to pay finance and accounting services.

Pro Bono work

  • The team on the finance aspect in respect of the Terrawatt Initiative and the International Renewable Energy Agency to accelerate the deployment of solar power worldwide.  The role is to develop a set of standard guidelines and documents that can be used by governments, developers and lenders to roll out solar power projects around the world.
  • Volunteer for Senior Rights Service, a specialist community legal centre for older people in New South Wales

Renewable experience 

  • Lenders’ counsel in the project financing of a 5MW Solar Farm – the Swartland Project, a Round 1 Project under REIPP
  • Borrower’s counsel in the project financing of a 75MW Solar Farm – Solar Capital De Aar 1 Project , a Round 1 Project under REIPP
  • Lenders’ counsel in the project financing of a 80MW Wind Farm – the Red Cap Project . The Red Cap Project reached financial close in November 2012
  • Borrower’s Counsel in the financing of a 75MW Solar Farm – Solar Capital De Aar 2 Project which reached Financial Close in April 2015

 

more less

Memberships & Roles

  • Member of the Legal Practice Council, South Africa
  • Chair of IPFA South Africa Council
more less

Publications

Podcasts/panel interviews:

 

more less

Education

  • 2018 - Australian Energy Market Operator industry course regarding the National Electricity Market Overview.
  • 2013 - Admitted as a notary public in the High Court of South Africa.
  • 2012 - University of Witwatersrand (Certificate in Competition Law).
  • 2009 - Admitted as an attorney in South Africa.
  • 2006 - University of KwaZulu-Natal (LLB). 
more less

Feed

26/06/2024
Africa Energy Forum 2024
Meet CMS Energy & Climate Change experts
07/06/2024
Will environmental exclusions accelerate solar PV explosion?
Solar PV in South Africa has grown immensely over a short period of time. Energy expert Anton Eberhard looked at data released by Eskom that supports that SA’s rooftop solar PV capacity has increased...
18/04/2024
Renewable energy in South Africa
1. Brief overview of the renewables sector Whilst historically South Africa has been heavily reliant on fossil fuels, in the past ten years, the South African Government has been investing in renewable...
11/03/2024
How viable is hydrogen?
How viable is hydrogen as an energy source? Does it really have the potential to alleviate SA’s energy woes?South Africa’s energy crisis has created opportunities for innovation, especially given...
05/10/2023
#CareerFocus with Bridgett Majola
1) Tell us a bit about yourself My name is Bridgett Majola, a lawyer, Director, Head of Projects & Infrastructure and Banking & Finance Practice at CMS South Africa, in Johannesburg. I love CrossFit and...
03/10/2023
Women in leadership: lifting others as they rise
There are few, if any, sectors or industries in which women have not struggled to convince colleagues and clients, bosses and managers that they are up not only to the job at hand, but that they are able...
05/07/2023
With the right legal framework, SA overcoming its power crisis could be...
On 4 December 1996, The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was approved by the Constitutional Court before coming into effect in February 1997. Widely considered one of the most progressive...
20/06/2023
Africa Energy Forum 2023
Meet CMS Energy & Climate Change experts
10/05/2023
Let’s bond over green bonds
This funding method can help move forward SA’s just energy transition goals.As the world grapples with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change, green finance...
21/04/2023
Exploring the viability of hydrogen as a power supply and how could it...
As load-shedding continues to plague SA, costing the economy billions of rand a day, the net has been cast far and wide for potential solutions to the country’s energy crisis. One possible solution...
06/04/2023
Let’s bond over green bonds
This funding method can help move forward SA’s just energy transition goals.  As the world grapples with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change, green...
03/04/2023
CMS South Africa is proud to have advised Maia Capital
CMS South Africa is proud to have advised Maia Capital, a boutique impact investment firm, in the provision of a mezzanine loan facility to FinCredit Proprietary Limited, which reached financial close...