André de Ruyter: It is indeed correct that Eskom cannot rely on the government bailout forever. We are well aware that we are not entitled to a cent of taxpayers’ money. That is why Eskom has embarked on the reforms and corporate savings so it can achieve operational and financial stability in a short space of time. That is the reason we have aggressively tackled procurement corruption, operational inefficiencies and cost-cutting across the board through prudent management of resources and a reduction in headcount. These we can do internally, they are within Eskom’s scope of activity.
AuthorAnton Eberhard
Anton Eberhard is a professor at the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town.
He directs the Management Programme in Infrastructure Reform and Regulation at the Graduate School of Business. His research and teaching focuses on the restructuring and regulation of the electricity sector, investment challenges, and linkages to sustainable development.
He has worked in the energy sector for more than 30 years and was the founding director of the Energy and Development Research Centre. Prof Eberhard is a foundation member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, chair of the Deputy President’s Advisory Panel on Eskom’s turnaround strategy, a member of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Energy, a council member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and serves on the country’s National Planning Commission.
Previously he served for seven years on the board of the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa. In 2012, he received the SA National Energy Association’s award for an outstanding and sustained contribution to the enhancement of the South African energy environment.
Prof Eberhard has more than 100 peer reviewed publications to his credit including two recent books: Power Sector Reform and Regulation in Africa and Africa’s Power Infrastructure: Investment, Integration and Efficiency. He works extensively across sub-Saharan Africa and has undertaken numerous assignments (both locally and abroad) for governments, utilities, regulatory authorities, donor and multilateral agencies and private sector companies.