LETTER: De Ruyter’s difficult inheritance

My take on the question of Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter being called upon to resign is strategic (“Load-shedding stopped when Jacob Zuma was in charge”, November 10).

Whether the CEO is of African or Caucasian origin, the fact of the matter is that he inherited his predicament from previous management spanning more than 13 years. This requires all South Africans to get behind the Eskom management in these trying times.

I talk from a position of leadership based on the fact that if people do not pay for their electricity this hampers an organisation’s ability financially, and therefore with equipment purchasing and machinery servicing. To discredit the existing board won’t get us anywhere as a country, and will certainly not provide us with a solution to the crisis.

We all want the lights on, but we also know many people don’t want to pay. If there is to be an efficient service, every user must contribute. Those who have no experience in running a company do not understand the predicament Eskom is in.

Thabo Mashiloane, Group CEO, BT Group SA & Braspetro SA

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