Eskom set to appoint Dan Marokane as new CEO – report

Months after the resignation of André de Ruyter, Eskom is reportedly set to appoint Dan Marokane as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

This is according to Bloomberg, who shared the news on X on Thursday night.

Marokane is currently at the helm of sugar producer Tongaat-Hulett and was previously head of group capital at the utility.

Dan Marokane is expected to be appointed as the new CEO of South Africa’s state power utility Eskom after an almost year-long search for a candidate, sources say https://t.co/BgxFgVenK3

— Bloomberg (@business) December 7, 2023

New CEO

However, Eskom declined to give details, responding only to Bloomberg’s initial report.

“Eskom would like to reiterate that the process of the appointment of the Group Chief Executive is with the shareholder and once the decision is made, an announcement will be made public,” Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said.

It is understood a special Cabinet meeting has been called for Friday to approve the appointment.

Eskom notes the post by Bloomberg this afternoon on X. Eskom would like to reiterate that the process of the appointment of the Group Chief Executive is with the Shareholder and once the decision is made, an announcement will be made public.

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) December 7, 2023

ALSO READ: Eskom turns 100: Will it die or survive?

According to the Bloomberg report, Marokane will have to begin the process of reviving Eskom months before the 2024 national elections.

No meddling

In October, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan stressed that he has not meddled in the Eskom board’s affairs to appoint a new group CEO for the embattled power utility.

Gordhan received a recommended frontrunner from the board but rejected it because a shortlist of three was needed.

The Eskom board interviewed just under 150 candidates it said in September. Shortly afterwards, board chair Mpho Makwana resigned.

De Ruyter resignation

De Ruyter gave notice of his resignation in December 2022, and abruptly exited his post early in February after an explosive television interview with eNCA journalist Annika Larsen. Eskom has been without a leader for more than nine months since de Ruyter.

While De Ruyter admitted he failed to solve the load shedding crisis, he lashed out at corruption within government and governance around Eskom.

ALSO READ: The minefield of appointing a CEO for a state-owned entity

Eskom feeding trough

When asked by Larsen whether he believes those in the ANC see Eskom as a “feeding trough”, De Ruyter said that evidence showed it was.

“I expressed my concerns to a senior government minister about attempts in my view to water down governance around the $8.5 billion that through Eskom’s intervention we got at Cop26.”

“And the response was essentially you have to be pragmatic. To pursue the greater good, you have to enable some people to eat a little bit. So, yes, it is I think entrenched,” De Ruyter said

De Ruyter said Eskom approached a high-level minister about their concerns.

Following De Ruyter’s resignation, former chief financial officer Calib Cassim was appointed to act in the position for six months.

ALSO READ: De Ruyter could face legal action for ‘unauthorised’ Eskom probe – SIU