Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown told the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Public Enterprises on Tuesday that the new Eskom CEO would be appointed within weeks.

She said she was “treating the appointment of a permanent CEO with urgency”.

Brown was in possession of a list of candidates vetted by the Eskom board, which initiated a recruitment drive after Brian Dames announced last year that he would be stepping down. Nonexecutive director Collin Matjila was subsequently appointed interim CEO when Dames left at the end of March.

“I intend taking this matter to Cabinet soon with a view to announce a new appointment latest by mid-August. Following this, I have urged the board to move rapidly to fill all the other critical vacant executive positions to ensure the sustainability of the company,” Brown said.

In parallel to this selection of the CEO, an interdepartmental task team comprising the Department of Public Enterprises, the Department of Energy and National Treasury was working with Eskom and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa “to formulate a solution to the immediate challenges facing Eskom”.

Brown said a final report should be presented by September to the Energy Security Cabinet Subcommittee and later to Cabinet.

President Jacob Zuma recently announced the composition of the subcommittee, which, besides Brown includes: Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson; International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene; State Security Minister David Mahlobo; Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies; Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel; Mineral Resources Minister Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi; Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

Eskom also confirmed in mid-July that it has handed its ‘comprehensive sustainability plan’ to Brown, with Matjila indicating that components of the plan, including a business productivity programme, were already being implemented.

However, there were other elements, including a possible further capital injection, that required a determination from the task team, as well as Cabinet approval.