Politicians should not be running Eskom, says Mashaba

Speaking to Jacaranda FM News, Mashaba said the technical nature of the power utility must be matched with technically apt board and managers.

Mashaba recently launched an online platform to query South Africans about their concerns for the country through surveys and dialogues where Eskom is top of the agenda.

He is deeply concerned by the constant negative international coverage of the country's rolling blackouts.

"I was on holiday when I saw on BBC World News for two days in a row South Africa featuring on the main headlines experiencing electricity blackouts. That is why I then obviously communicated with my team to make sure that we get South Africans to understand that something needs to be really done with Eskom," said Mashaba.

According to Mashaba, politicians-turned-managers are among the reasons for Eskom's failures.

"You need to really put in professional non-politicians to run that entity. Eskom is a highly technical business and it needs highly technical people to really run it and take politics out of it.”

He added that government must explore partnerships with the private sector to resolve the energy crisis.

"And if it means we have got to involve and work with the private sector and partner that is really the route we must follow. On the other hand we also have to encourage as a country independent power producers to assist the government in providing electricity supply to our country."

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