Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has announced that Mpho Makwana has been appointed as new chairperson of the Eskom board.
Gordhan was addressing the media during a virtual briefing on Friday to announce measures to strengthen governance at Eskom.
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New Eskom board
Gordhan said the new board was approved on Friday after a cabinet briefing.
Makwana is a former Eskom board member, and a former CEO of nine months.
He is currently Nedbank’s Group Chair.
Former Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali was also appointed to the board.
Eskom’s new board members:
- Mr. Mpho Makwana (Chairperson)
- Dr Busisiwe Vilakazi
- Mr. Lwazi Goqwana
- Mr. Clive Le Roux
- Mr. Leslie Mkhabela
- Mr. Mteto Nyati
- Ms Fathima Gany
- Ms Ayanda Mafuleka
- Dr Tsakani Mthombeni
- Dr Claudelle von Eck
- Ms Tryphosa Ramano
- Mr. Bheki Ntshalintshali
Gordhan said Dr Rod Crompton will be retained on the Eskom Board of Directors to ensure continuity.
“The executive directors will be the CEO, Mr Andre de Ruyter, and the CFO, Mr Calib Cassim. The new board brings broad experience, expertise and skills that will provide stability and strategic direction to the entity. Their task will be to reposition Eskom to play a key role in the energy sector.”
The new board assumes its role from 1 October.
Duties
Gordhan said he would like the incoming board to deal with immediate current load sheding issues, procurement, elimination of corruption and ensuring that there is reliability of energy supply in the medium to long term.
“This board is the accounting authority – it is responsible for evaluating the current performance of Eskom, and to account to the shareholder, which is the department of public enterprises.”
He thanked the previous board members for their work and wishedthe new Board well during their tenure.
Load shedding
“Transferring the fuel to the Gourikwa and Akerlig Open Cycle Gas Turbine stations will take place throughout the weekend to replenish by Monday.”
“Eskom will also use the weekend to replenish the dam levels at the pumped storage schemes, which have been utilised extensively to complement generation capacity,” Mantshantsa said
Gordhan said its likely Stage 4 will continue into next week
Disrupt operations
Gordhan said there are still active efforts to disrupt operations at power stations.
“There is a deliberate climate of resistance. We cannot have a situation where there are people who stand on platforms and demand growth, and then, on the other hand, undermine those efforts.”
“Clearly some issues need to be addressed within the capability of Eskom, but what is important is that the full might of the state needs to be applied so that these kinds of miscreants don’t succeed,” Gordhan said.
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