JOHANNESBURG, October 6 (ANA) – The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Friday, said that it was highly agitated by the decision of South Africa’s power utility, Eskom’s chairman, Zethembe Khoza to rotate current executives to the role of the company’s group chief executive.
This comes after Eskom on Friday appointed its chief information officer and group executive for information technology, Sean Maritz, as its interim group chief executive effective immediately in a rotational basis of the executive role.
Maritz will replace Johnny Dladla who occupied the role of interim group chief executive for four months following the suspension of another interim group chief executive, Matshela Koko.
The power utility has not had a permanent chief executive since the controversial stepping down of Brian Molefe in December 2016 and his confusing return earlier this year following the release of the Public Protector’s report which implicated him in State capture.
NUM’s energy sector coordinator, Paris Mashego, said Khoza’s belief that exposure of all directors to this critical position will stabilize Eskom would actually result in the opposite.
“The rotation strategy will weaken the accountability towards decision towards stabilization of Eskom. It will only increase competition among directors. It is a bad decision,” Mashego said.
“The NUM is astonished by this shallow reasoning of the chairperson, who is unable to steer the board in the right direction for the attainment of the stakeholder mandate and halt corruption in this parastatal.”
Mashego said the union, as a key stakeholder, was now demanding the reversal of the decision to rotate executive committee members and proper consultation on the strategic direction of Eskom and appointment of directors.
The NUM also demands an immediate appointment of a permanent group chief executive with authority to bring stability in Eskom, set up financial management systems and controls to eradicate institutionalized corruption.
Eskom said it was imperative that the role of its group chief executive be permanently filled in an effort to embed organisational stability. As a result, the recruitment process for a permanent chief executive will begin in due course.
– African news Agency (ANA)
