Jacob Maroga has resigned as CEO of Eskom, the electricity parastatal’s board said on Thursday.
”Eskom confirmed that Mr Maroga has resigned. His intention to resign was welcomed by the board,” acting board chairperson Mpho Makwana told reporters at Eskom’s Megawatt Park head office in Johannesburg.
The announcement ended days of speculation on Maroga’s position at the parastatal after a power struggle between Meroga and former board chairperson Bobby Godsell.
While Maroga’s resignation was announced last week Thursday to Eskom’s staff by Godsell, Maroga reportedly returned to work on Monday.
On the same day, November 9, Godsell handed in his resignation, saying that the government had refused to support Eskom’s board in resolving its dispute with Maroga.
In recent months, Maroga had been criticised for sacking international energy consultant Susan Olsen, who warned in a confidential memo that Eskom’s coal-procurement practices were placing electricity supplies in jeopardy.
Maroga seemingly ignored Olsen’s advice and the country was then plunged into a period of load-shedding in January 2008.
Other official Eskom documents were also leaked which painted a picture of its lack of understanding of coal markets and how skilled staff had departed from the parastatal.
The Democratic Alliance recently released a report by Eskom’s technical corporate audit division, which highlighted the serious shortages in senior staff at the utility and supported Olson’s earlier findings. — Sapa, I-Net Bridge