Amid Stage 6 load shedding and blackouts of up to 10-hours a day, endured by many households and businesses, Eskom has announced the appointment of a new Group Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect, following Andre de Ruyter’s acrimonious departure on Wednesday.
In a statement issued a few hours ago, Eskom said it has appointed Calib Cassim as Group CEO with immediate effect and that he will lead the power utility’s management team until further notice.
Some energy experts have blamed Eskom’s current woes on the fact that it had De Ruyter – a lawyer, at its helm as opposed to an engineer. But clearly the SOE doesn’t believe it needs one by appointing a Chartered Accountant this time.
Cassim is a registered CA and holds a master’s degree in Business Leadership and his resume shows that he has extensive experience in the electricity industry.
“With over 20 years of service in Eskom, his qualifications and extensive experience have provided Mr Cassim with a deep understanding and appreciation of the Eskom business and the electricity industry, especially the challenges regarding the financing of operations and the future expansion of the industry,” Eskom said in a statement.