ANC top brass expected to discuss Eskom

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) will discuss the turmoil at Eskom but not “individual deployments”.

The party’s top brass is meeting this weekend with an eye on the dismal state of state-owned enterprises and an update on work done related to the amendment of section 25 of the constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation.

The meeting comes as Cosatu and the EFF have called for public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan to be fired for the crises at Eskom.

Eskom board chair Jabu Mabuza stepped down last week after the country was plunged into darkness despite a reassurance to the president that there would be no load-shedding before January 13.

Party spokesperson Pule Mabe said the meeting would not discuss individuals.

“It’s the prerogative of the president to appoint members of the national executive. We have full confidence in all of the comrades who serve in the national executive that are ministers,” he said.

Mabe said that Gordhan would deliver a report to the NEC on the work he was doing in public enterprises.  

“The NEC throughout has never discussed individual deployees. We believe in their ability to implement the resolutions of the 54th national conference,” he said.

The meeting is expected to hear fierce debate about solutions to fix Eskom.

Gordhan’s detractors are expected to argue that he should be removed from his job.