Acting Eskom CEO Brian Molefe decided this week not to renew the contract of Mike Rossouw, who had been working as an energy thought leader at the embattled utility for the past year.

Rossouw’s one-year, but renewable, contract was due to expire on June 16.

Since his appointment by then interim CEO Collin Matjila in mid-2014, the former Xstrata Alloys director and Energy Intensive User Group chairperson had worked primarily on a recovery plan for Eskom’s underperforming coal-fired power stations.

Rossouw had expressed a desire on several occasions to participate in the implementation of the plan, but had always stressed that this would depend on the renewal of his contract.

When contacted by Engineering News Online, Rossouw expressed some disappointment at the decision.

However, he said he was optimistic that the recovery plan, which had been handed over to the Eskom leadership, would be “taken forward” by the generation management team.

He had not given consideration to his immediate future, but indicated that his intention was to remain a thought leader in the South African energy sector.