Tebogo Msimanga |
The Black Business Council (BBC) is calling for Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter and the entire Board of Directors to step down due to their inability to resolve the prolonged electricity blackouts. De Ruyter was appointment in November 2019.
The CEO of the BBC Kganki Matabane said they were overly optimistic when de Ruyter was appointed as Eskom needed stability but has since realised that two years later, the country has nothing to show but the highest number of blackouts in the history of South Africa.
“The BBC is of the view that the country should acknowledge that the Eskom leadership is completely overwhelmed, inept and out of its depth. They simply don’t seem to be able to have a handle on this crisis and as such, should be let go as there appear to be no prospect in sight for any improvement of this serious situation.”
When outlining government’s economic recovery plans, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed the dependency of the pace of economic recovery on ability to resolve energy crisis swiftly .
Matabane added that the country has been experiencing the blackouts since 2008 and 13 years later, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. “The inability to stabilise Eskom will only lead to the country being downgraded resulting in the increase in the already world record-breaking unemployment rate, further economic contraction and scaring of international investors.
The BBC has called an urgent meeting with the President of the RSA and the Minister of Public Enterprises to discuss this important matter.
