Related Articles
Top Stories
May 27 2012 11:21
There's a price war raging between South Africa's cellphone networks after Cell C lowered the rates of its prepaid calls by more than 34%.
May 27 2012 11:49
The country's 200 000-odd Tupperware agents are angry about the counterfeit products being sold as the real McCoy.
May 27 2012 13:09
The oversupply of golf estates has claimed another victim.
Johannesburg - As criticism grew over the government's overhaul of the Eskom and Denel boards, Public Enterprises Minister
Malusi Gigaba on Friday said he regretted that the changes were made public before he could officially inform the people involved.
A statement by Gigaba's office said he "expresses regret over the fact he could not officially inform current board members impacted by the changes beforehand owing to the premature publication of the Cabinet decision."
He said as a result he could not discuss "the envisaged changes with other stakeholders of Eskom and Denel".
On Thursday cabinet spokesperson
Jimmy Manyi said it had ratified the appointment of
Zola Tsotsi as new chairperson of the Eskom board, and
Zoli Kunene as chair of the Denel board.
Tsotsi replaced
Mpho Makwana, who had taken over from
Bobby Godsell after Godsell left the utility in the midst of a public dispute with former CEO
Jacob Maroga.
The entire Eskom board, barring two members, would be replaced. The move is part of a leadership overhaul at major state utilities.
Manyi said the government was also looking at restructuring Transnet's board. Reports have suggested that chairperson
Mafika Mkwanazi could be removed.
On Friday trade union federation Cosatu demanded that the Eskom appointments be suspended so that unions could be consulted.
"It is absolutely unacceptable that the minister of public enterprises should unilaterally make appointments to such an important public utility, without consulting the main stakeholders, including the Num (National Union of Mineworkers), other trade unions within Eskom and Cosatu itself. We call on the minister to suspend the appointments to allow for a proper process of consultation with all stakeholders," Cosatu said.
On Thursday the Num objected to Eskom board changes being made without consulting it as one of the unions representing staff at the utility.
On Thursday night the Chamber of Mines said it was also concerned by the changes.
"We are deeply concerned... (and) do not understand the logic behind their removal from office," its CEO
Bheki Sibiya said.