‘The appointment of the Eskom board will not stop load-shedding’: EFF

The EFF has expressed dismay over the new Eskom board, claiming it will not help to solve the many crises in the power utility.

On Friday public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan appointed business leader Mpho Makwana as chair of the new board, with him assuming duties on Saturday.

Other board members include Dr Busisiwe Vilakazi, Lwazi Goqwana, Clive le Roux, Leslie Mkhabela, Mteto Nyati, Fatima Gany, Ayanda Mafuleka, Dr Tsakani Mthombeni, Dr Claudelle von Eck, Tryphosa Ramano, Dr Rod Crompton and Bheki Ntshalintshali.

Crompton is the only member from the previous board to serve on the new one to ensure continuity. Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter and CFO Calib Cassim are executive members.

The EFF said the new board will not help to solve Eskom’s crises, including huge debt, neglected strategic energy infrastructure and ongoing load-shedding.

The party claimed the power utility’s crises are primarily fourfold due to the lack of a coherent energy policy, irrational imposition of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), an incompetent and clueless CEO and COO and conflicts of interest.

“Gordhan has appointed Mpho Makwana, who serves as chairperson of Nedbank, as an independent non-executive director of BTE renewables, two beneficiaries of the collapse of Eskom. Makwana has no interest in the existence of Eskom in a manner that will secure dependable and affordable electricity as a public good for all,” the party said.

“His appointment as chairperson of the Eskom board is a demonstration of how emboldened Jamnandas is, who feels he is above all, including acceptable good governance practices.”

The EFF maintained its call that the immediate solutions to the energy crisis are to remove De Ruyter and COO Jan Oberholzer, standardise coal prices, urgently complete the Medupi and Kusile power stations and cancel all power purchasing agreements based on a clear and coherent energy policy.

“The appointment of the Eskom board announced by Jamnandas will not stop load-shedding.

“The government should seriously consider seeking the expertise of black executives who previously managed the crisis of load-shedding. The recycling of Solidarity members has proven to be a dismal failure,” it said.

TimesLIVE asked its readers if they thought a new board would fix the energy crisis.

Most (88%) said the problems “are so much bigger” than the board, 7% said a new broom would sweep clean, and 5% said they would wait and see.

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