/ 11 November 2009

Maroga out — again

An announcement is expected on Wednesday from Eskom confirming reports that Jacob Maroga is no longer CEO at the troubled power utility.

Bloomberg news agency is quoting an Eskom official as saying the company is proceeding on the basis that Maroga is no longer the CEO and will make a statement related to this on Wednesday, EWN reported.

This follows a dramatic leadership battle played out via leaked reports and surprise resignations.

  • Read the Mail & Guardian Online dummy’s guide to the Eskom leadership crisis here.
  • An anonymous letter was sent to the M&G this week detailing Eskom management’s dissatisfaction with Maroga’s leadership and responding to allegations of racism.

  • Read the letter here.
  • But an M&G source in senior management said the letter had not been seen by everyone in management. It was confirmed, however, that it was an updated version of an anonymous letter sent in September to Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan.

    It contains the serious allegation that Maroga delayed the publication of Eskom’s massive tariff increases until after the country’s general elections, as a favour to the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

    “We call upon Mr Maroga not to blackmail this country, by citing his act of delaying the price application to after the elections, as a favour owed to him,” says the letter, purportedly from Eskom senior management.

    If published earlier the unpopular tariff hike might have affected the ANC’s election campaigning. While Hogan has denied that President Jacob Zuma stepped in to save Maroga’s job, chairperson of the board Bobby Godsell is understood to have resigned on Monday following a meeting with Zuma, after which Maroga was reinstated.

    Meanwhile, Eskom senior staff was reportedly meeting on Wednesday morning with members of the board regarding Maroga’s removal. A formal announcement is expected soon.

  • November 11 17:00 Update: Eskom’s media desk say the press statement has been postponed possibly for Thursday noon.