The cabinet has approved the appointment of Tshediso Matona as power utility Eskom’s new CEO, public enterprises minister Lynne Brown announced on Wednesday.
“The appointment was approved at a cabinet meeting held in Cape Town today [Wednesday],” Brown told reporters at parliament.
She said the public enterprises director-general brought “a wealth of experience” to the struggling power utility.
Matona is also a former director-general of the trade and industry department.
Matona is the right person for the job, the Black Business Council (BBC) said in reaction to the news. It cited his experience as a leader, a public servant, and accounting officer for the departments of trade and industry and public enterprises.
The BBC said that under Matona’s stewardship, the department enjoyed years of clean audits. He played the role of activist shareholder, ensuring some state-owned companies in the public enterprises department’s portfolio improved their performance and profitability.
It hoped that under Matona’s leadership Eskom would improve its communication with important parties such as big business and small and medium enterprises. — Sapa