The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has welcomed Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s plan to restructure and reconstitute the board of State-owned power utility Eskom. 

The Minister announced on September 27 that government would soon start the process of restructuring the board, following a review of the board whose term expired in 2021 and was extended subject to a review.

The NUM believes the board ought to comprise qualified engineers, chartered accountants and economists.

The union also wishes for the inclusion of labour and community representatives on the board, as well as that the restructuring process is made transparent through public participation.

“There is enough evidence that the current leadership under Eskom CEO André de Ruyter has failed in its primary responsibility of keeping the lights on.

“[The] NUM is of the view that Eskom must be put under the responsibility of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, rather than Public Enterprises,” the union states, explaining further that Gordhan has dismally failed to deal with load-shedding.