Eskom a litany of abject failures

In exactly two weeks from today, on March 1, the behemoth that is Eskom will be turning 95 years old after it was established by the Union of South Africa government, as per the Electricity Act.

In eight weeks’ time, on April 27, the governing ANC and some South Africans, will be celebrating the day we have come to know as Freedom Day – a day that confirmed the ANC ascended to the higher echelons of government, where they have been for the past 25 years.

Now, are we as South Africans saying these two historical dates are pointing out that we have a nonagenarian in our midst who is 95 years old, but has so far learnt nothing through these years? Are we even going to allow this old timer to be a centenarian?

On Sunday, three days after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation address (Sona) on Eskom being broken into three divisions, the lousy parastatal shocked us with the announcement of load shedding. Are we really doing that old South African song and dance again of shooting ourselves in the foot?

We have South Africans who were eagerly waiting for Ramaphosa’s second Sona and he made some key announcements, including the one on Eskom. Then, boom, load shedding. One cannot totally dismiss the sceptics who are saying this is sheer sabotage.

Business schools, not only in South Africa but the rest of the world, too, should really take heed and put together a business case study of how not to run any company.

Eskom is the most naked and easiest case study they have. Where does one find a company, in the 21st century, that is so blatantly failing from key vantage points of management, operations and structure?

A company that often forgets the impact it has on an economy that is not growing, or not even interested in growing.

Before leaving for the World Economic Forum in Davos last year, Ramaphosa appointed the current board and its new chief executive officer.

Yes, it’s been a challenging year for them trying to run a company looted in the past 10 years, but that should not deter us from being critical of what exactly has been done.

If we have two expensive and literally useless mistakes in Kusile and Medupi on our hands, how are we then going to fix these and who will be responsible?

These two failing power stations are clear examples of how South Africa often fails when it comes to major infrastructure projects.

If you want another example, look no further than the Giyani Water Project, worth R3 billion. A clear example of tenderpreneurs in slim, ill-fitting suits driving German sedans and making their priorities clear.

The frustration South Africans have with Eskom at the moment are unfortunately not going to be temporary. They won’t be because other suggested solutions like the independent power producers are not the magic bullet that’s going to sort out the eyesore that is Eskom overnight.

What is now needed is for the likes of Ramaphosa and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to be forthright with unions – if it’s time to privatise the cash-bleeding Eskom, there is no better time to have the conversation than now.

Reggy Moalusi is a former newspaper editor