Johannesburg - The Eskom board prevented CEO Jacob Maroga from entering Megawatt Park on Tuesday and his duties were divided among the power utility's top management.

His resignation on October 28, according to the board, remains valid, despite his turning up at the office on Monday.

"The board was not aware that he had returned to work and was disturbed by it. Acting chairperson Mpho Makwana took steps to prevent him from returning to Megawatt Park today," said a senior employee, who did not wish to be identified, on Tuesday afternoon.

Maroga's personal assistant, Helen Bezuidenhout, confirmed that he had not been at work on Tuesday.

Makwana has apparently already initiated the recruitment of a new chief executive.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, in referring to the Eskom crisis that had led to the resignation of chairperson Bobby Godsell on Tuesday, said that it was uncalled for to drag racism into the issue.

The country's two most influential trade union leaders, Cosatu's Zwelenzima Vavi and the National Union of Mineworkers' Frans Baleni, dismissed accusations by the Black Management Forum that Godsell is a racist.

They also regretted his resignation as Eskom chairperson.

"He has retired and is able to devote considerable time to Eskom. In addition he is someone with broad experience in the mining industry that could help Eskom," said Baleni. The union represents about a third of Eskom's employees.

For nine years Baleni himself was a director at the utility.

At the behest of Makwana, Eskom's top management spent the whole of Tuesday in a meeting at Eskom's conference centre in Midrand.

Maroga's duties have been divided amongst other top officials. Most of these will be handled by Brian Dames, head of generation, and Erica Johnson, head of client services.

- Beeld and Sake24.com

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