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Godsell quits as Maroga stays on  Comments

Parastatal casts no light

November 10, 2009

By Donwald Pressly


  • To read former Eskom chairman Bobby Godsell's full resignation statement - click here

  • To read the statement issued by the department of public enterprises following former Eskom chairman Bobby Godsell's resignation - click here

    A day of high drama at Eskom saw the return of chief executive Jacob Maroga, the resignation of board chairman Bobby Godsell and elevation of long-time director Mpho Makwana to acting chairman.

    The day broke with confirmation that the embattled Maroga had returned to Megawatt Park. Godsell - with the backing of the Eskom board - had announced Maroga had resigned last Thursday.

    Yesterday's events follow 10 days of conflicting reports of a power struggle in the highest echelons of Eskom.

    Maroga's supposed resignation reportedly followed a clash at a board meeting at which alternative visions for the enterprise were presented with Maroga wanting more power over operations and Godsell wanting a chief operating officer to assist the chief executive.

    By mid-afternoon yesterday, it was confirmed that Godsell himself - a former AngloGold Ashanti chief executive - had opted to leave his post.

    He could be joined by at least three sympathetic members of the board.

    Sapa yesterday reported that Minister of Public Enterprises Barbara Hogan had announced the appointment of Makwana as acting chairman of Eskom's board.

    In what was described as a game of "political football" by human rights activist Rhoda Kadalie, it appears that pressure from the ANC Youth League and the Black Management Forum on the ANC swayed the pendulum in favour of Maroga.

    Maroga kept absolutely quiet yesterday.

    While Maroga was said to be in meetings all day yesterday, Eskom spokesman Andrew Etzinger referred all questions about Godsell leaving to the Department of Public Enterprises. The department did not return messages.


    Approached for comment from the presidency, spokesman Vincent Magwenya said: "I would rather leave all matters related to Eskom to the Department of Public Enterprises." He would not confirm that President Jacob Zuma had intervened in the power struggle at Eskom.

    However, it was reported that Zuma met Godsell on Sunday. Godsell was brought in as Eskom chairman by former public enterprises minister Alec Erwin and ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe about a year ago.

    Etzinger said that Eskom "will not be making an official statement" on developments yesterday, but he did confirm that Maroga was back: "Yes, he was at the office today."

    Asked if members of the board - which appeared to back the vision for the utility painted by Godsell - had resigned in sympathy with Godsell, Etzinger also referred this matter to the department.

    Vytjie Mentor, the National Assembly public enterprises committee chairwoman, said she had no knowledge of Maroga's resignation. A press conference at which a note from the board confirming Maroga's resignation was to be made public was cancelled.

    A meeting of the public enterprises committee on Friday with the Eskom board was also cancelled.

    Opposition parties viewed with concern developments at the parastatal yesterday. DA MP Cobus Schmidt, who released internal documents on a damning report given to Maroga by consultant Susan Olsen on questionable coal contracts, said it was a pity that Maroga had turned it into a race issue.

    Maroga earlier said: "The manner in which the Olsen report was given status and attention is one example of white supervision mentality. The Olsen report was written by a white person and leaked by a white person" to a political party and the media.

    Cope MP Phillip Dexter called on Zuma to leave Eskom alone. "This type of interference will only worsen the crisis." Freedom Front Plus spokesman Pieter Groenewald said Zuma's interference showed he had no confidence in Hogan's capabilities to deal with the Eskom crisis.

    Makwana has been on the Eskom board since 2002.
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    Showing page 1 of 2 comment pages, 12 total comments
    13 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
    BEE gone wrong. Race favoured over competence, governance and accountability. Not sure why the BMF believe they are the "custodians" of Corporate SA. As a professional black south african, I am dissapointed.
    13 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
    Hogan is Zuma's puppet. What a useless character she is.
    13 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
    We are now reaping the fruits of AA and BEE. ...Well done..!!
    13 Weeks ago julius wrote :
    You must be an ANC card carrying comrade to keep your job while your company burns. Well done to the president and his party for confirming, once again, incompetent officials are supported by the ANC in the face of all opinion.
    13 Weeks ago Janus wrote :
    Bobby Godsell's statement is quite clear - Maroga is incompetent and this is implied with startling clarity. How Maroga, who has failed dismally in his task as CEO can remain employed is unbelievable. If this incompetent worked in the private sector he would not have been fired, he would have been prosecuted. Perhaps he would not have lasted long enough to cause the amount damage he has done in just two short years Once again, a political appointment gone disastrously wrong. Where to from here?
    13 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
    Godsell did not sign his resignation, tomorrow he will deny that he resigned.........an endless episode.
    13 Weeks ago ARCHIE_ wrote :
    Interesting. The CEO fires consultants for sounding the alarm on coal supplies. Turns out there IS a small problem with coal supplies. The opinion on page two today is just another attempt to mask problems at parastatals in this country as outcomes of rasicm. Rasicm cannot explain how Eskom is in the position today to undermine Government's 6% GDP growth rates - both in terms of inability to meet supply demand, and that outrageous tariff increase proposals. Not suprising. In the Business Report - disappointing. Come now, get over your colour.
    13 Weeks ago paul jackson wrote :
    oh my hat! africa can now proudly look forward to being the "deepest darkest continent"
    13 Weeks ago Concerned wrote :
    So, now the greedy incompetence can continue - undisturbed. When the competent people have all left, who are they then going to blame it on? Tribalism?
    13 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
    Here we go again - the one executive with proven business ability leaves Eskom. On we go with RDP - the Rapid Destruction Policy - Hand it to the ANC - they are good at destroying anything and everything they touch. Guess who is next in line ?. Julius Malema, with his R300,000 per month squad of bodyguards - just for good measure.
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