Gordhan to shake up Eskom board – report

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has reportedly informed the directors at Eskom that changes will be made to the board in the next few days.

News24 reported that Eskom, which can have a maximum of 13 non-executive directors, has only six.

The publication also mentioned that seven non-executive directors have resigned – with the first resignation in 2018, and have not been replaced.

Eskom board

The remaining directors, whose terms began in 2018, have appealed to Gordhan for several years to fill the vacancies on the board.

The Eskom board, which has been chaired by Professor Malegapuru Makgoba in an interim capacity since the resignation of Jabu Mabuza in 2020, has strongly supported the leadership of Eskom CEO André de Ruyter.

ALSO READ: ‘Load shedding is here to stay’ – Ramaphosa

While there was a strong sentiment expressed in last week’s Cabinet meeting that De Ruyter should be fired, there has been no indication yet of what Gordhan intends to do.

Andre De Ruyter

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are among many who have called for De Ruyter and Chief Operating Officer Jan Oberholzer, to be fired with immediate effect over the current load shedding crisis.

The red berets said load shedding is a crisis affecting the country.

“The incompetence and arrogance of Eskom executives has plunged South Africa into a perpetual and unwarranted darkness that is killing businesses and livelihoods. The collapse of Eskom and the failure to prove dependable and consistent energy supply are meant to render the country’s electricity utility redundant and useless.”

However, with many South Africans calling for the Eskom boss’ head, political analyst Piet Croucamp told The Citizen, people who wanted De Ruyter out didn’t understand how complicated the situation was at Eskom.

“There is nothing to say that hasn’t been said. The power stations are old and outdated; the staff were not skilled enough because it’s a difficult turnaround process with people who had a vested interest in corruption and the bad management of the utility,” he said.

ALSO READ: Firing De Ruyter now like booting the pilot while plane is crashing