Former board chair Mpho Makwana says ‘toxicity’ forced him to leave Eskom

Former Eskom board chairperson Mpho Makwana says departing from the power utility was the best decision for him as the environment had turned toxic.

Makwana resigned as the leader of Eskom’s board at the end of October. He served just 13 months in the post. 

‘Remove yourself from the equation’

Speaking to Radio 702 on Wednesday, Makwana said he resigned because he found himself in “an ecosystem that wasn’t enabling him to be an effective leader”.

“The responsible thing to do for any leader is to read the situation correctly and remove yourself from the equation, especially when toxicity is created by whatever forces that cause that toxicity and they start personalising certain things to you that shouldn’t be personalised to you.

“You then remind yourself that the reason you are there in the first place is to serve the best interests of the organisation and this organisation being of such systemic importance to the country, you there to also serve the best interests of the country, to the extent that you feel if you stay there those best interests will be undermined; that it is best to step aside and let someone else move in so the job that is bigger than all of us continues to be fulfilled,” he said.

ALSO READ: Makwana’s departure ‘an indication that something not well’ at Eskom

“It’s a relay race that has got lots of complexities so you pass the baton to the point if you continue to feel healthy and emotionally happy to run the race. Once you feel it’s no longer practical for you to be the carrier of the baton, you hand it over to the next leader,” Makwana continued.

Asked whether his departure was due to interference by Eskom’s shareholder, which is Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, the former chair said: “I think let’s move on basis that valuable lessons were learnt and it was best that one moves on.”

When probed further, Makwana expressed his view that interference wasn’t Eskom’s biggest problem as there were other challenges such as load shedding.

“It’s a problem, but not a huge problem in that just let boards [do] what boards should do. If they are left alone to govern as they should then that’s the least of our problems.”

CEO appointment

Gordhan has been accused of meddling in the affairs of Eskom although he has denied such claims.

According to reports, the processes relating to the appointment of a new Eskom chief executive officer (CEO) was the “last straw” between Makwana and the minister.

The Citizen previously reported that Gordhan claimed the board did not follow Eskom’s memorandum of incorporation (MOI) and guidelines for appointment of a CEO for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) after submitting only one name rather than a shortlist of three candidates.

Additionally, former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter cited Gordhan’s apparent micromanagement in the day-to-day operations at the power utility as one of the reasons for his resignation.

READ MORE: Pravin Gordhan accused of interfering in SOEs

He also told Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) in April that Eskom’s board made it difficult for him to carry out his duties.

De Ruyter gave notice of his resignation in December last year and abruptly exited his post early in February after an explosive television interview with eNCA.

Meanwhile, Eskom is expected to appoint Dan Marokane as CEO.

Marokane was the frontrunner after Eskom interview just under 150 candidates for the position. Calib Cassim is acting as Eskom’s CEO.