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Eskom and its COO Jan Oberholzer to ‘part ways by mutual agreement’

Eskom and its COO Jan Oberholzer to ‘part ways by mutual agreement’
Amid its search for a permanent chief executive officer, Eskom’s former chief operating officer will leave the power utility at the end of this month.

Former Eskom chief operating officer (COO) Jan Oberholzer, who retired as COO in April and has since been overseeing key projects, will leave the parastatal at the end of this month, the power utility said on Monday.

Eskom announced that the utility and the former COO would “part ways by mutual agreement”. 

Oberholzer’s departure from South Africa’s power utility comes seven months after the resignation of Eskom CEO André de Ruyter in December 2022. De Ruyter was due to leave his job in March 2023, but was released from Eskom “with immediate effect” following an explosive interview on political interference and corruption at the embattled power utility.   

Read more in Daily Maverick: Introducing the four crime cartels that have brought Eskom and South Africa to their knees

In February, Eskom announced Calib Cassim as its interim CEO while it searched for a new one. 




Oberholzer retired as COO of Eskom on 30 April this year, but had signed an agreement with the power utility to stay on in a new role to oversee projects aimed at helping South Africa out of its power bind. He was appointed as COO in mid-2018. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Former Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer to stay on at the utility

According to Eskom, the former COO was “on a fixed-term contract to provide support to the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station long-term operation (LTO) and Kusile Power Station projects”.

In an interview with EE Business Intelligence in May, Oberholzer said that 2023 would continue to be a tough year in terms of power cuts, but there should be a substantial easing of load shedding intensity by early 2024, following repairs at the Kusile and Medupi power stations, and the refurbishment of Koeberg for a 20-year life extension.

Earlier on Monday, during a press conference on security issues relating to the implementation of the Energy Action Plan, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said he was “very, very, very worried” that Koeberg’s refurbishment had fallen behind schedule — which will result in daily power cuts continuing into 2024. 

“I have asked for a more detailed report [on Koeberg], and the more we get an indication of what the issues are, the more we are getting very, very, very worried,” said Ramokgopa.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Further delay in life extension of Koeberg nuclear reactor worsens power outlook

He said he was meant to visit the nuclear power station last week to get an update on the progress made, but had to postpone his visit because he had other pressing matters.

Ramokgopa said he would prioritise the visit for this week, as “it is something that requires urgency”. DM