Eskom named Mpho Makwana as chairperson of the board

Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan has announced the recent appointment of business leader and Nedbank chairperson Mpho Makwana as chairperson of the new board of Eskom, effective  October 1^st,2022.

Other board members are: Dr Busisiwe Vilakazi, Lwazi Goqwana, Clive le Roux, Leslie Mkhabela, Mteto Nyati, Fatima Gany, Ayanda Mafuleka, Dr Tsakani Mthombeni, Dr Claudelle von Eck, Tryphosa Ramano, Dr Rod Crompton and Bheki Ntshalintshali.

Crompton will be the only member from the previous board to serve on the new one to ensure continuity.

CEO Andre de Ruyter and CFO Calib Cassim will be executive members of the board.

The term of office for the new board will be three years.

Gordhan said the new board was approved on Friday after a cabinet briefing.

Makwana is currently the Independent Non-Executive Chairman of JSE-listed Arcelor Mittal South Africa Limited as well as chairperson of the Nedbank group.

He is no stranger to Eskom, having previously first served as a Non-Executive Director of the state-owned entity between 2002 and 2011.

Former Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali was also appointed to the board.

Gordhan said he met the previous board and informed it of the imminent changes on Tuesday. He said one board members resigned after the meeting.

Gordhan said Dr Rod Crompton will be retained on the Eskom Board of Directors to ensure continuity.

“The executive directors will be the CEO, Mr Andre de Ruyter, and the CFO, Mr Calib Cassim. The new board brings broad experience, expertise and skills that will provide stability and strategic direction to the entity. Their task will be to reposition Eskom to play a key role in the energy sector.”