Marokane received a short-term bonus of R765 000 for the 2025 financial year, having received none in 2024.
After eight years of losses, Eskom has finally powered back to profit under CEO Dan Marokane, generating a profit worth billions despite being owed millions by municipalities and businesses.
It is no surprise that Marokane walked away with more than R11 million for the entity’s performance.
Eskom released its financial results for the year ended March 2025 in late September, showing that it recorded a pretax profit of R23.9 billion, which is a significant turnaround from the R25.5 billion loss in 2024.
Marokane was appointed CEO of the state-owned entity in 2024, with, amongst other things, the responsibility to end load shedding. Load shedding was a persistent thorn in the country’s side for years, with many businesses citing financial distress as a result.
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Eskom CEO salary breakdown
Under Marokane’s leadership, load shedding is a thing of the past. While he is not the only person responsible for restoring Eskom to its former glory, it is his head that will be on the chopping block should the state-owned entity fail.
According to the financial results, Marokane received a total remuneration of R11.7 million.
Out of the R11.7 million, he received a fixed annual salary of R9 million, which is approximately R750 000 a month.
Eskom brings back short-term bonuses
According to the financial results, Eskom stated that it reinstated short-term bonuses after staff began to achieve their targets.
“The short-term incentive scheme was reinstated from 1 April 2024. Employees received a portion of the incentive payout in December 2024 after key performance targets were achieved for the first six months of the financial year,” said the state-owned entity.
Marokane received a short-term bonus of R765 000 for the 2025 financial year, having received none in 2024. His salary package also included “other payments” worth R1.9 million. While his “other payments” in 2024 were worth R3 000.
“Other payments include accumulated leave paid out, sign-on bonuses, separation payments, long service awards and expenditure related to telephone, security services, operating vehicle, professional subscriptions, as well as spouse funeral and dread disease cover,” said Eskom.
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Back to former glory
The state-owned entity, which marked its first return to profitability since 2017, follows the government’s R254 billion debt relief package allocated to Eskom over three years, with the current financial year, 2025, being the final one.
The outcome was underpinned by electricity tariff increases and lower primary energy costs.
“Over the next five years, with continued rigorous focus, we will invest more than R320 billion in sustaining and expanding our infrastructure for the long-term benefit of the nation,” said Morakane.
Other SOEs paycheques
A parliamentary reply by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to DA member of parliament Jan Naudé de Villiers revealed how much CEOs of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) earn.
According to the reply, the commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (Sars), Edward Kieswetter has earned more than R10 million annually for the past two years.
Even if Sars underperforms and fails to meet its revenue targets, Kieswetter still walks away with more than R8 million a year.
Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, revealed that CEO of Central Energy Fund SOE (CEF), Ishmael Poolo receives a remuneration package of R6 147 526.77 annually.
