New Eskom CEO must hit the ground running

The IFP extends well wishes to newly appointed Eskom CEO, Andre de Ruyter, as the task at hand will certainly not be easy but we remain cautiously optimistic that Mr. de Ruyter is equal to the task.

While the new CEO will only officially start his term in office on January 15, next year, we believe that he should make very good use of the following month in order to familiarise himself with Eskom. There is very little time to turn things around at the ailing parastatal. De Ruyter must hit the ground running.

Mr de Ruyter would do well if he is to focus his efforts and that of the management team he will lead on:

building bridges with all stakeholders;

decrease debt and reign in unpaid bills;

renew or advertise contracts and strengthen supply chain management, tender procurement and financial controls;

ensure that maintenance of all existing power plants, and infrastructure are conducted;

see through the completion - on time and within budget the plants of - Medupi and Kusile and secure more competitive and quality coal contracts;

oversee the successful unbundling of Eskom;

keep the lights on for all South Africans, restore confidence in Eskom, domestically and abroad; and

turn the budget deficit into a surplus.

While these aren’t near the exhaustive measures required to lead Eskom, we are confident that when the basics are covered, the more technical and structural operations will follow suit.

Issued by Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, IFP Spokesperson on Public Enterprises, 19 November 2019