Besides Eskom’s wish list, what they need most is someone immune to politics

Someone with a “political passport”, who could operate without being tripped up by politics, would be the ideal candidate for Eskom, an expert says.

With the top role set to become vacant in less than two months, energy specialist Lungile Mashele said what the state-owned power utility needed was a technically competent leader – an engineer, a turnaround specialist.

Eskom on Sunday published a quarter-page advertisement for a new group chief executive after current boss André de Ruyter announced his resignation.

De Ruyter, 52, took on the position on Christmas Day in 2019 and was Eskom’s 11th CEO since 2007, when load shedding was first implemented. He leaves at the end of next month.

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The advertisement outlined one of the CEO’s key responsibilities as building a high-performing organisation with a culture which maintained the highest virtuous and governance standards.

It also included the requirement of a person with a successful track record in managing the strategic turnaround of a commercial entity operating within a complex environment with over 20 000 employees and an annual turnover above R50 billion.

‘Political pressure’

According to Mashele, Eskom required someone strong enough to withstand and navigate political pressure and ensured what was best for Eskom.

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In state-owned enterprises, like Eskom, political interference made the decision-making process difficult. It should be seeking “someone who knows the value of Eskom in the economy and wants to see it thrive. A person with a plan”, Mashele said.

“A leader with a successful track record, a proven record of turnaround and clean procurement spend.”

Eskom requirements

The minimum qualification required to apply for the position was a postgraduate degree in engineering, business administration or economics.

“An undergraduate degree, with an MBA or other relevant postgraduate degree would be an advantage,” Eskom stated.

The utility would also consider appropriate qualifications at NQF level 8 with 480 credits. It was looking for someone with 15 to 20 years as a senior manager at executive committee level, preferably within emerging markets. Personal characteristics should include a leader with unquestionable personal integrity.

De Ruyter’s time at Eskom was marked by death threats, sabotage, relentless accusations and investigations, the Covid pandemic and a lack of urgency from government to observe calls for additional capacity

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