Malema’s warning to new Eskom boss

EFF leader Julius Malema has fired off a warning to new Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane, claiming he will not succeed as long as Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan remains in office. 

The power utility confirmed Marokane’s appointment on Friday, saying he would start “no later than 31 March 2024”.

ALSO READ: Dan Marokane appointed new CEO of Eskom

It said Marokane had “experience working in distressed organisations with visible and pressurised turnaround mandates”.

Taking to social media, Malema congratulated Marokane and took a dig at Gordhan.

“Congratulations Dan Marokane, the new Group Chief Executive of Eskom. You will never succeed if Jamnadas [Gordhan] remains the minister. I hope you won’t capitulate to his nonsense,” Malema said.

The Democratic Alliance rejected the appointment, claiming Marokane would not bring any change.

“As the former Head of Group Capital at Eskom, Marokane is a legacy executive and as such he will not bring anything different to salvage what is left of an already collapsing entity.”

Mr Meddle?

Gordhan has been accused of meddling in the Eskom board’s affairs, with former CEO André de Ruyter citing the minister’s alleged micromanagement as one of the reasons for his resignation.

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

Reports also claimed Gordhan’s interference in appointing a new Group Chief Executive was the “final straw” for former board chairperson Mpho Makwana. He resigned in October.

Speaking on Radio 702 this week, Makwana would not be drawn on this, only saying “I think let’s move on the basis that valuable lessons were learnt and it was best that one moves on.”.

‘I did not interfere at Eskom’

Responding to the claims in October, Gordhan said the Eskom board needed to follow protocol, including its memorandum of incorporation (MOI).

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

“The MOI states that boards are supposed to identify three individuals and three names need to be submitted. We were confronted with just one name and that had to be referred back to the board.

“There is a shorter road that can be taken… I have not interfered, so that’s the kind of gossip that (should not be appeased). This is a formal legal process that needs to be followed and the board understands what it has to do,” he said.