New Eskom board's first task is to remove CEO and COO: Black Business Council

Mpho Makwana has been appinted chairperson of the new board of Eskom
Mpho Makwana has been appinted chairperson of the new board of Eskom
Image: SUPPLIED

The Black Business Council (BBC) says the first order of business for the new Eskom board is to release CEO Andre de Ruyter and COO Jan Oberholzer. The council has accused the pair of plunging the country into darkness and consequently paralysing the country and economy.

The BBC welcomed the appointment of the new board of directors announced by public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan on Friday afternoon. 

The BBC says it is convinced the new board, chaired by Mpho Makwana, is balanced, appropriately skilled, has gravitas, possesses the necessary diverse experience and will have the capacity and courage to hold management accountable.

“The BBC would like to advise the new board that their first responsibility and task is to release the incompetent CEO and COO as they have plunged the country into darkness that has paralysed the country and its economy,” BBC CEO  Kganki Matabane said.

Commenting on the new board, the DA said the appointment of former unionist Bheki Ntshalintshali was nothing more than a cheap attempt to fulfil the ANC’s cadre deployment quota in a state-owned enterprise.

It said Ntshalintshali has simply been given a soft landing after he was rejected by Cosatu delegates during its elective conference this week.

“For the rest of the board, the jury is still out. Though an attempt was made to bring in some individuals with a heavy engineering background, the government did not go far enough — and some are simply recycled executives with no engineering experience,” DA shadow minister of public enterprises Ghaleb Cachalia said.

Cachalia said the board’s first order of business was simple.

“They need to bring Eskom’s power plant maintenance programme back on track, secure short-term supply of electricity and end load-shedding.”

TimesLIVE


subscribe

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.