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The South African Federation of Trade Unions welcomes the removal of Eskom’s old Board of Directors and the appointment of a new Board headed by Telkom chairperson Jabu Mabuza.

SAFTU wishes them well in the colossal task that lies ahead of them - to rescue a vital part of South Africa’s economic infrastructure from bankruptcy and implosion, which would have potentially catastrophic consequences for consumers, workers and economic activity as a whole.

The former board was deeply implicated in acts of corruption and mismanagement and had lost all credibility. It had to go and those implicated directors and executives must now face the consequences of their actions in the courts.

SAFTU hopes that this new approach will set a precedent for all the other state-owned enterprises whose directors and executives have presided over similar actions as those at Eskom to be dismissed, replaced and prosecuted.

The same approach must also be taken to public institutions like the NPA, the Hawks, SARS and others, which have prevented legal action against those against whom there is clear prima face evidence of corruption and other criminal offenses. They have in effect become accessories in the crimes for which they are refusing to prosecute the offenders, and they too must now be dismissed and brought before the courts.

SAFTU congratulates all those, including the federation itself, who have been campaigning for this kind of tough action against Eskom heads and all the others involved in corruption.

Issued by SAFTU