Jabu Mabuza 'wasted two years of Eskom's life', says energy expert
The unexpected resignation of Eskom board chairman Jabu Mabuza continues to divide opinion with trade unions, energy experts and analysts all weighing in on the debate.
Businessman Mabuza resigned as a member and chairman of the embattled Eskom board on Friday.
In a statement released by the Presidency, Mabuza addressed the controversy around allegations that President Cyril Ramaphosa was misled by the board on the power utility’s ability to keep the lights on during December and January.
During a meeting with the power utility’s board and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan in December, Ramaphosa was given the assurance that no load shedding will be implemented until this coming Monday.
Energy expert Ted Blom says Mabuza's time at the helm of the power utility was time wasted.
"As far as the resignation of Mr Mabuza is concerned I stand by my views that I emphasized in 2018 when the new board was appointed. My view is that technically they're not competent to run Eskom; they don't have a vision, they don't have the engineering background and that board was bound to fail.
"It's taken two years and as far as I'm concerned it's a wasted two years of Eskom's life and it has exacerbated the crisis within Eskom."
Trade union National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) echoed these sentiments, saying Mabuza's resignation is long overdue.
"Jabu, as the chair of Eskom board, has taken us to where we have never been, stage 6 load shedding," says NUM's general secretary David Sipunzi.
"Seeing as he was failing on his promises that there shall be no load shedding anymore, he should have been removed with immediate effect but we waited and waited until he took us to stage 6. Thanks for going and thanks for nothing."
In his resignation letter to the president, Mabuza apologised for Eskom’s inability to keep the lights on but political analyst Levy Ndou says Mabuza put the cart before the horse with his resignation.
"We don't start with resignation, we have to start with accountability. I expected Mr Mabuza to account first on what has been going on at Eskom, what is it that has lead to all the challenges.
"And then based on his level of accountability then we talk about resignation. If resignation is the first option, we might actually be missing the point."
Ndou says a lack of accountability will only lead to recycled problems at the ailing power utility.
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Jabu Mabuza resigns as Eskom chair
Mabuza resigned on Friday while apologising for Eskom's inability to keep the lights on. In a statement released by the Presidency, Mabuza addressed the controversy around allegations that President Cyril Ramaphosa was misled by the board on the power utility's ability to keep the lights on during December and January.