Eskom board chairman Mteto Nyati says that Eskom was nearly destroyed by corruption and a flawed energy transition.
Image: File
Eskom board chairman Mteto Nyati says that Eskom was nearly destroyed by corruption and a flawed energy transition.
Nyati said this in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying that the transition failed to prioritise reliable baseload power and instead treated coal as the main problem rather than focusing on managing emissions.
"The two things that nearly destroyed Eskom were corruption and a flawed energy transition. That transition dismissed the importance of reliable baseload power, and treated coal as the enemy rather than focusing on managing emissions - the real challenge of energy production," Nyati said.
In the past, the power utility has for years been affected by alleged corruption, procurement irregularities and inflated contracts, alongside ongoing operational challenges, ageing infrastructure and repeated load-shedding that led to widespread power outages across South Africa.
The crisis has also had a major impact on businesses with frequent power cuts disrupting production, increasing costs and slowing economic growth
Earlier this year, IOL also reported that two Eskom safety representatives appeared in the Emalahleni Regional Court in Mpumalanga on allegations of soliciting and receiving gratification linked to operations at Eskom’s Majuba Power Station.
The comments come amid ongoing debate over South Africa’s Just Energy Transition, which aims to reduce reliance on coal while expanding renewable energy and maintaining energy security.
As part of the programme, Eskom also closed the Komati Power Station in 2022 for conversion to a renewable energy facility, a move that drew criticism over planning and concerns about job losses.
However, Eskom has recently reported a turnaround in performance, with the utility indicating significant improvements in generation stability.
"South Africa has now reached 300 consecutive days without loadshedding, achieved at midnight on 12 March 2026, a significant milestone underscoring the continued recovery and strengthening of Eskom’s generation fleet anchored on the Generation Recovery Plan" Eskom said earlier this month.
IOL News