Gordhan appoints new Eskom CEO

Cabinet has approved a recommendation by Eskom’s board to appoint Phakamani Hadebe as CEO of the electricity parastatal.

This comes alongside other new appointments at State Owned Enterprises. Tryphosa Ramano has been appointed as the chairperson of SA Express’s board, which includes Ronald Lamola, Thulani Kgomo, Thandiwe January-McLean, Kugan Thaver, Bongisiwe Mpondo, Hlengiwe Thandeka Makhathini, Thabi Leoka and Ahmed Bassa. The term of the former board expired on May 21. Monhla Hlahla will head defence manufacturer Denel’s Board.

Gordhan said at a media briefing in Cape Town he was compelled to send in an intervention team last week to find out what was happening at the airline following the suspension of several executive managers on allegations of corruption.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan announced his intentions to clean-up the SOEs in his portfolio at his budget vote last week. Alongside the new appointments, Gordhan also announced that steps are being taken to merge South African Airways (SAA), SA express and Mango.

Gordhan has oversight over power utility Eskom, rail and ports company Transnet, defence manufacturer Denel, airline SA Express, diamond mining organisation Alexkor and the South African Forestry Company (Safcol).

At a briefing ahead of the budget vote, Gordhan speculated that state capture enabled through the entities could have cost the country R100-billion.