By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Dan Marokane has been appointed as state owned power utility Eskom’s new Chief Executive Officer, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) said in a statement on Friday.
According to the department the advertisement for the post attracted 409 applications.
Eskom has been without a CEO since February, after the early departure of André de Ruyter.
Marokane, a chemical engineer with an MBA and more than 20 years senior leadership experience, was chosen for his “experience working in distressed organisations with visible and pressurised turnaround mandates”.
Marokane was one of four Eskom senior managers suspended during the state capture period.
Mandatory checks, which include criminal and credit checks, verification of identity, qualifications, directorships, and establishment of conflicts of interest were completed,” the DPE said.
Eskom chairperson Mteto Nyati said Marokane has experience in “managing complex strategic, operational and commercial turnaround across the private and public sectors”.
“He also has in-depth knowledge of the Eskom environment. He leads from the front. He will hit the ground running. That is what Eskom and SA need right now.”
“We are delighted to have him on board and are confident that he, the executive committee and the board will work well together in rebuilding an Eskom of tomorrow that is anchored on high performance culture,” said Nyati.
Marokane, who previously served as Eskom’s head of group capital and was also CEO of troubled sugar producer Tongaat Hulett, will have to begin the process of reviving the foundering utility months before South Africa votes in national elections.
The energy crisis — the central bank has said that rolling blackouts may have reduced the economic growth rate by as much as 3.2 percentage points last year — may in part result in the governing ANC see its support slip to as low at 45% next year, according to one survey.
Eskom has shared its weekend load shedding schedule announcing power cuts will be implemented from 4pm on Friday until 5am on Saturday morning.
“Due to the improved generation capacity available and the lower weekend demand, Stage 3 load shedding will continue to be implemented until 05:00 on Saturday morning. Thereafter, Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented until 16:00.”