ESKOM chief executive officer André de Ruyter has resigned.
De Ruyter notified Eskom board chairman Mpho Makwana of his decision earlier this week.
The chairman has also informed public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan of De Ruyter’s resignation.
“Mr De Ruyter has agreed to stay for an additional period beyond the stipulated 30-days’ notice to ensure continuity while we urgently embark on a search for his successor,” said Makwana.
“On behalf of the Eskom Board, executive and the entire Eskom staff, I thank De Ruyter for his extraordinary service to the people of South Africa. I also thank De Ruyter’s family for supporting the Group Chief Executive during the tumultuous period,” said Makwana.
There have been ongoing calls for De Ruyter to be removed.
The CEO has come under heavy fire in the past few months, as South Africa faced unprecedented load-shedding peaking at stage 6.
As of noon on 14 December 2022, Eskom had implemented 3,380 hours of load-shedding, equivalent to 141 days, during the year.
The previous two worst years of load-shedding — 2020 and 2021 — were also endured under De Ruyter’s tenure.
In recent days, the former head of Statistics South Africa Dr Pali Lehohla said De Ruyter should be replaced by an engineer.
“Eskom is an engineering-cum-economic behemoth. It is an engineering animal and an economic animal. At the moment, it is not led by engineers, nor by economists. So, you cannot expect it to perform. Instead, it is led by politicians and accountants and they are trying to understand the logic of Eskom.”
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has welcomed the resignation of de Ruyter, saying it was “an early Christmas gift” for South Africans.
“Under De Ruyter’s leadership at Eskom, there has never been any hope and there has never been any measurable strategy to overcome load-shedding. There have never been any measures to improve the daily deteriorating Electricity Availability Factor (EAF) which is at about 58% year to date and 52% month to date, far displaced from the desired EAF of 80%.”
“The NUM is hopeful that Eskom will not repeat the same mistake of appointing a CEO who specialises in the unbundling of the power utility and the implementation of Independent Power Producers (IPPs).”
Cosatu said that de Ruyter’s resignation was not a surprise.
“The resignation of Andre de Ruyter is not good enough, though, we need answers from the relevant political principals. If this problem is not handled diligently; it has the potential to mutate from an energy crisis into a political crisis. Minister Pravin Gordan and Gwede Mantashe need to provide a solid and coherent political intervention,” said Cosatu.
DA MP Ghaleb Cachalia said de Ruyter was “sacrificed at the altar of politics”
“André de Ruyter’s apparent sudden resignation as the CEO of Eskom is a reflection on Gwede Mantashe’s relentless campaign against a man who despite having one hand tied behind his back as he battled to get the utility on track – fighting corruption, debilitating policies and political interference – conducted a dutiful and responsible effort at the discharging of his duties.”
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