The process to appoint a new Eskom Chief Executive Officer is underway, Interim Executive Chairman Jabu Mabuza said on Wednesday.
“We are on course to meet our timelines and we have closed adverts,” Mabuza said at a media briefing on the state of the system.
Interviews for the top job are scheduled to be held on Monday.
“We do hope to go to the board on 16 September. We have to present the three names that we want to recommend to the Minister [of Public Enterprises]. So by 30 September, we would have given the Minister the three names,” said Mabuza.
On 30 July, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan announced Mabuza as interim executive chairperson and acting Chief Executive Officer of Eskom for three months.
Mabuza assumed the role of Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the power utility on 1 August following the resignation of Phakamani Hadebe.
“I am also on course not to be here on 1 November. That is cast in stone,” said Mabuza.
Violent tensions
The power utility also used the opportunity to condemn ongoing violent tensions in the country.
“I condemn these attacks. It’s criminal activity. Law enforcement must act. It’s damaging property and lives, and South Africa’s position on the continent and world,” said Mabuza.
Mabuza’s comments come as the Presiding Officers of Parliament, led by National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise and National Council of Provinces Chairperson Amos Masondo, appealed for calm amid the ongoing sporadic violence in certain parts of South Africa, characterised by tensions between South African communities and foreign nationals.
In addition, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has announced that it has increased the deployment of members to cover all the areas identified as hotspots of violence, where shops have been looted and property set alight.
A total of 189 arrests have been effected since Sunday for criminal acts including public violence, malicious damage to property and theft. Five murders have also been reported, two in Coronationville, two in Hillbrow and one near the hostel at Jeppe.
Mabuza said while no Eskom infrastructure has been damaged, these incidents could not have come at a worse time when South Africa is hosting the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Africa, which got underway in Cape Town earlier today. – SAnews.gov.za
