Eskom on Tuesday appointed Brian Dames as its new chief executive, the power utility said in a statement.
“We welcome the appointment of Dames and look forward to the stability that his appointment brings to Eskom,” a statement quoting the utility’s chairperson Mpho Makwana said.
The announcement comes as wage negotiations between Eskom and unions are deadlocked, with workers threatening to strike by the end of the week.
Unions are demanding an 18% pay increase plus housing allowances while Eskom by Tuesday was only prepared to raise its offer to 7%.
Negotiations will resume on Thursday after Eskom requested time to consult its executive management for a new mandate.
Dames is currently Eskom’s Chief Officer, Generation Business and was appointed to the state-owned enterprise’s executive management committee six years ago. He assumes his new position on July 1.
The appointment of a CEO had dragged out as Eskom had to wait for a ruling by the high court in Johannesburg that the former incumbent Jacob Maroga could not stop the board from appointing a successor.
Maroga wanted to be reinstated to his former position, but the judge found that although his termination was illegal, he could not re-join Eskom as his relationship with its board had broken down “irretrievably”.
Former chairperson Bobby Godsell resigned during a board meeting at which Maroga was removed from his post. — Reuters