ESKOM’s acting Group Executive for Generation, Rhulani Mathebula, has resigned from his position with immediate effect and will leave the power utility at the end of the month.
The announcement was made by Eskom chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer at the start of his presentation on Tuesday.
“Rhulani Mathebula said to me that the demand for the role had a negative impact on his health. We respect his decision,” Oberholzer said.
Mathebula has been acting in the position since Philip Dukashe’s resignation in May 2022.
Oberholzer added that Mathebula’s successor would be announced in due course, pending the relevant procurement processes. In the interim, Lethabo Power Station general manager Thomas Conradie has taken over the role.
Meanwhile, Eskom said prolonged loadshedding will continue to be implemented over the next few months as major capital projects and repairs reduce available generation capacity.
In the next few weeks, Eskom will embark on some major capital investment projects and major repairs that carry significant risk and that will serve to further increase the implementation of loadshedding.
These risk factors will remove more than 2 300MW of generating capacity from the system.
Eskom said South Africans can anticipate the increased risk of loadshedding until these problems are resolved over the next six to 12 months.
Of serious concern is the high levels of unplanned outages, which contributed to the 155 days of loadshedding experienced since January.
To limit the stages of loadshedding, Eskom had to heavily rely on the extensive use of open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs), burning millions of litres of diesel.
“Due to the vulnerability and unpredictability of the power system, coupled with the major capital projects, maintenance and major repairs to be executed starting during the next few months, the risk of continued loadshedding remains quite high,” said Oberholzer.
I don't see Mzwandile Phillip Dukashe surviving this bouts of load-shedding.
— Engineer Matšhela Koko, MBL (@koko_matshela) December 4, 2021
My take is that he is going to go just like Bheki Nxumalo.
I sense Rhulani Mathebula part two loading.
I do not see it working either.
Andre de Ruyter must just watch F1 Grand Prix this weekend! pic.twitter.com/Lv5hCugTR0
