Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3 min read | 22:40 pm CAT

Mpho Makwana is the new Eskom board chair and will have his work cut out. The country is facing Stage 4 load shedding for the foreseeable future after Eskom announced yesterday afternoon that a generation unit each at Kendal and Lethabo power stations has tripped. The new board was announced on Friday to try and find a solution for Eskom, which is battling to end rolling blackouts.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, the new Chair, Mpho Makwana, said the first order of business is to properly constitute the board to ensure that all the governance frameworks run smoothly.

The Board and Makwana will conduct a ground visit to the different power stations to appraise the real issues. After that, the Board will send a message to staff, technicians, engineers and other concerned persons. Makwana said the message would entail his support is entirely behind them, and he wants to see them succeed and make Eskom a great company, once again. 

“When solving problems, you’ve got to ensure that you’re dealing with the root causes and this will be an initial engagement to ensure we familiarise ourselves with those root causes,” he says.

Makwana has been a Director at Eskom between 2002 and 2011 before state capture.

According to Makwana, when he stepped down as chair in June of 2011, he left an Eskom that was in the black.

He said in the annual report they had declared a profit to the state of around R10 billion at the time.  

Adding, “I remember what a successful Eskom used to look like and as Chair, I am not a newcomer.”

In the main, South Africans have lost trust in Eskom.

Makwana said a vital issue for the public to be aware of is that the government has declared several measures that should give the public confidence.

“The public should take confidence in knowing that the electricity industry is been opened up to ensure that other providers can provide. Eskom’s duty remains to ensure that the country has got base load.”

Listen below to the interview with Moulana Habib Bobat and new Eskom Chair Mpho Makwana on Radio Islam’s podcast.