Eskom’s De Ruyter resigns on day of tariff hike decision delay

A newly rudderless Eskom’s efforts to have a 32% tariff increase approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) have been delayed once more. 

In what was supposed to be the final subcommittee meeting on Wednesday on the tariff increase, Nersa said it was not ready to deliver the decision. “Eskom’s submissions were received in September […]. Certain numbers didn’t tally and the regulator was asked to expand the work; there are vast areas that need improvement,” Nersa said.

On the same day, André de Ruyter resigned as the utility’s chief executive in a surprise move. 

Just a year ago De Ruyter was adamant that he would not resign of his accord. Instead, he said he and his executives had been appointed by the Eskom board and served at its discretion, adding that the board had not “so far” had conversations on dismissing anyone.

“It is probably more important to have continuity of management rather than to fall back into the trap that Eskom has been in over the past 10 years when we had 11 different chief executives; that lack of continuity clearly has contributed significantly to instability in the organisation,” De Rutyer said in 2021 after South Africa was once again forced to move to stage four load-shedding.