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Eskom board shocked by Ngubane’s resignation, expects new chair next week

Cape Town – The Eskom board was shocked by the sudden resignation of chairperson Ben Ngubane and said it expects to get a new chairperson next week Friday, when the power utility holds its annual general meeting.

Eskom board spokesperson Khulani Qoma told Fin24 on Tuesday that the meeting has been confirmed for next Friday.

READ: Ngubane’s resignation won’t exonerate him - DA

“I only spoke to him (Ngubane) at midnight,” he said, which was an hour after news broke of Ngubane’s resignation. “We did not have a moment with colleagues to reflect.”

“The board was very shocked. They did not expect this,” he said. “His leadership brought a lot of stability to the organisation.”

Late on Monday, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown announced that Ngubane "formally tendered his resignation", which she accepted.

Brown appointed Eskom board member Zethembe Khoza as interim chairperson. She said the new board appointments require Cabinet approval. This should be finalised before next week’s annual general meeting, as Brown has often said she will officially “rotate” the board at this meeting.

Ngubane has been named twice so far in the GuptaLeaks saga. Once due to a failed bid to secure a lucrative oil concession in the Central African Republic (CAR) as well as in the revelations about the capture of Eskom.

Ngubane was a staunch defender of former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, who was brought back to Eskom this year after the board was ordered by Brown to rescind a R30m early pension payout. That rescindment was then later reversed and the matter is now before two courts and a parliamentary inquiry.

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