The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has slammed Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan for interfering in Eskom following the resignation of Eskom board chairperson, Mpho Makwana.
This week, Makwana resigned from the position, just a year after he was appointed.
Gordhan said on Monday that Makwana would be succeeded by Mteto Nyati.
Makwana was appointed in September last year to help the power utility get out of trouble.
ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona said it was displeased with the sudden departure of Makwana, which made him the shortest-serving board chairperson.
“The announcement of Makwana’s so-called resignation by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan signals deeper tensions between the shareholder representatives and board members at Eskom. This is caused by, among other notable incompetence indicators, the consistent interference of the executive in the operational duties at the power utility,” he said.
Ntshona said the party does not believe Makwana’s resignation was voluntary but was due to interference from high above.
“The ATM refuses to believe this resignation was based solely on the dispute over the appointment of the CEO as alleged by some members of society, but a culmination of events which include the deterioration of the relationship between Jamnandas and Makwana, and many other issues such as widespread reports of corruption and maladministration, which have long secured a total collapse of Eskom, sponsored by the incompetent ANC-led government,” he said.
Makwana’s resignation comes just as the power utility has been experiencing unprecedented stages of load shedding which prompted the establishment of the Ministry of Electricity headed by Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
Under Makwana’s leadership, the power utility suffered a loss of R5 billion in the first quarter of the current financial year.
Following Makwana’s resignation, Gordhan said that efforts to stabilise Eskom remained on track.