Mkhize rejected Eskom's Mteto Nyati's remarks that to save Eskom empowerment policies must be discarded.
“We should focus a lot more on people with technical expertise and they should be able to give us solutions at Eskom. The question of abuse of black empowerment needs to be managed and policed, but I don't believe empowerment policies are of such a nature that Eskom must abandon them.
“I don't believe the only problem Eskom faces is BEE. As thing stand, Eskom can't say BEE is their only problem. It's almost like saying because there are car accidents people mustn't drive.”
In an interview with Sunday Times, Nyati said empowerment policies are hampering Eskom’s performance and will have to go if the electricity crisis is to be fixed.
Nyati is in charge of the board’s new business operations performance committee, which has been working closely with management so the team can focus on areas holding the utility back.
“It’s our responsibility as the board to remove any blockages or challenges in the way of the management team so they can focus on doing what they know best,” said Nyati.
The EFF said Nyati’s remarks are “contemptible, misdirected and nonsensical”.
His remarks demonstrate he does not have the interests of South Africa and black people in mind.
“The remarks made by Nyati expose his poor understanding of the role of procurement in localisation, building industries and creating sustainable jobs.
“The idea that procurement of goods through legislation seeks to create a layer of middleman is not only misguided but demonstrates that people like Nyati are entrusted to run large and complex institutions because it is known that they will be obedient puppets and fronts for neocolonial institutions and an economy that seeks to benefit former colonisers.”
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‘The president should consider changing the minister’: Zweli Mkhize on Eskom
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
ANC presidential hopeful and former health minister Zweli Mkhize has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to consider axing public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan amid ongoing load-shedding.
Mkhize said it is time the governing party looks at new leadership and a minister to oversee Eskom. The former minister was speaking on SAFM this week.
“The ANC needs to take responsibility if things are not going right in the government, it must change the policy. There's been a long enough time for the leadership to prove itself and if they are not successful they need to be changed.
“It is time to look at new leadership because with the time he [Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter] has had, if we are not seeing change or any improvement, we need to ask ourselves why. Same as with the minister, the president should consider changing the minister.”
Throwing out the rule book to save Eskom
Mkhize rejected Eskom's Mteto Nyati's remarks that to save Eskom empowerment policies must be discarded.
“We should focus a lot more on people with technical expertise and they should be able to give us solutions at Eskom. The question of abuse of black empowerment needs to be managed and policed, but I don't believe empowerment policies are of such a nature that Eskom must abandon them.
“I don't believe the only problem Eskom faces is BEE. As thing stand, Eskom can't say BEE is their only problem. It's almost like saying because there are car accidents people mustn't drive.”
In an interview with Sunday Times, Nyati said empowerment policies are hampering Eskom’s performance and will have to go if the electricity crisis is to be fixed.
Nyati is in charge of the board’s new business operations performance committee, which has been working closely with management so the team can focus on areas holding the utility back.
“It’s our responsibility as the board to remove any blockages or challenges in the way of the management team so they can focus on doing what they know best,” said Nyati.
The EFF said Nyati’s remarks are “contemptible, misdirected and nonsensical”.
His remarks demonstrate he does not have the interests of South Africa and black people in mind.
“The remarks made by Nyati expose his poor understanding of the role of procurement in localisation, building industries and creating sustainable jobs.
“The idea that procurement of goods through legislation seeks to create a layer of middleman is not only misguided but demonstrates that people like Nyati are entrusted to run large and complex institutions because it is known that they will be obedient puppets and fronts for neocolonial institutions and an economy that seeks to benefit former colonisers.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
'He must have drunk De Ruyter’s Kool-Aid if he is willing to show such obedience': EFF slams Mteto Nyati
Director’s comments on BEE to Sunday Times ‘misrepresented’: Eskom chair
Load-shedding back during the day
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