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Reacting to the news that Matshela Koko has been appointed by Minister Lynne Brown as Eskom’s Acting CEO with effect from today, Melita Steele, Senior Climate and Energy Campaign Manager for Greenpeace Africa has said:

“Greenpeace Africa is strongly opposed to the news that Matshela Koko has been appointed as Eskom’s Acting CEO. Once again, dangerous choices are being made by South Africa’s national utility, and they continue to put the country’s energy future at risk. As far as we are concerned, Koko is a hugely controversial choice.

Over the past year he has worked on creating a significant profile in the media - seemingly aimed entirely at pushing a pro-nuclear agenda, and discrediting and undermining the crucial role that renewable energy is playing in the South African energy sector. Koko’s approach can only be termed as an anti-renewable energy campaign. This is completely unacceptable as a choice for Acting Eskom CEO.

More now than ever before, it is essential that South Africans take a critical view of the supposed ‘facts’ presented by Eskom officials such as Matshela Koko, as vested interests continue to control the energy sector.  If Eskom wishes to serve in the best interests of all South Africans, it must abandon its anti-renewable energy agenda and restructure itself to take on investments in the renewable energy sector, while moving away from destructive, expensive and unnecessary coal and nuclear energy.

The importance of the choice of Eskom’s CEO cannot be underestimated, and Greenpeace calls on Minister Lynne Brown to ensure that a permanent, non-divisive CEO is found quickly. Matshela Koko is clearly not that person, and Greenpeace Africa will vigorously oppose any moves to make him Eskom’s permanent CEO.”

Issued by Greenpeace Africa