South Africa’s Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan on Monday appointed business leader Mpho Makwana as chair of the new board of state-owned power utility Eskom currently struggling to end rolling blackouts nationwide.
The minister said the 13-member board would serve for three years and replaced that led by Malegapuru Makgoba.
Eskom chief executive Andre de Ruyter and chief finance officer Calib Cassim remained executive members of the board, while Rod Crompton would be the only member from the previous board to ensure continuity, Gordhan said.
Other members of the board are Busisiwe Vilakazi, Mteto Nyati, Lwazi Gogwana, Tshakani Mthombeni, Leslie Mkhabela, Fathima Gany, Ayanda Mofaleka, Claudelle von Eck, Tryphosa Romano, Bheki Ntshalintshali and Clive le Roux.
The minister said the new board brought broad experience, expertise and skills that would provide stability and strategic direction to the entity.
The body’s task would be to reposition the troubled Eskom to play a key role in the energy sector, he added.
However, Gordhan said he would like to see the in-coming board “deal with the immediate current load-shedding issues, procurement, elimination of corruption and ensuring that there is reliability of energy supply in the medium to long term.”
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises chair Khaya Magaxa commended the minister for appointing the new Eskom board.
Magaxa said the committee hoped the new board would, among other things, “boost the operational capacity and improve the performance of the power utility.”
NM/jn/APA