FORMER Eskom board chairman Jabu Mabuza has passed away after a short illness.
Inside Politics understands that Mabuza died of COVID-19 related complications on Wednesday.
Mabuza became Eskom chairman in January 2018 and was appointed along with other new board members.
However, he resigned from the power utility in January 2020.
Mabuza used his resignation to apologise for Eskom’s inability to keep the lights on and meet the power demand in South Africa.
“[Jabu] Mabuza apologised for Eskom’s inability to meet the commitment it made to the President [Cyril Ramaphosa],” the Presidency said at the time.
Two years ago, Mabuza testified at the State Capture Commission following allegations of conflict of interest involving his companies.
He told the commission that he had bought 6% of shares in Sphere Investment worth R26 million.
Sphere has shareholdings in boiler-serve contractor Babcock, which serviced a third of Eskom’s coal power stations.
Mabuza maintained that he had no direct input or involvement at Sphere Investment or Babcock.
“Jabu lived his life so beautifully and committed to the transformation of South Africa’s economy,” the statement from his family read.
“He was a pillar of strength for his family, a dedicated servant of the country, an activist in empowering black entrepreneurs and committed to work for the transformation of corporate South Africa.”
Ramaphosa said: “COVID-19 has once again struck deep, hard and indiscriminately to deprive our nation of one our finest and most inspiring compatriots.”
“Jabu Mabuza was a monumental figure on so many terrains of our national life. He provided inspiration and leadership to many, from Daveyton, where he started his illustrious career as a taxi driver, to Davos where he made his presence and values felt in global debates,” the president said in a statement.
“We will miss the warmth of his personality, the forthrightness of his engagement on questions of national importance and the multiple precedents he set and led in the transformation of our economy.”
“It is a profound loss that someone who believed so passionately in a better future for our country has been taken from us in the prime of his contribution to our nation. May his soul rest in peace.”
Meanwhile, South Africa has recorded 13,246 COVID-19 infections on Wednesday.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said this is the highest number of daily cases and positivity rate recorded since January 2021.
A further 136 deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 58,223.
The NICD said 60,995 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.
“Let’s remain vigilant in following presentation measures as diligent as possible to help stop the spread,” the NICD said.
