Pressure on new Eskom CEO

JOHANNESBURG - Former Eskom executive Dan Marokane has been appointed CEO of the utility.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan made the announcement on Friday.

Marokane is tasked with turning around the beleaguered power provider.

Gordhan believes he is up to the task due to his experience in distressed organisations.

READ: Dan Marokane appointed Eskom CEO

But energy expert Mohammed Madhi says political interference may be his downfall.

"We don’t necessarily want someone who is entrenched in the Eskom way of thinking and unfortunately this has always been a problem with the appointees that Eskom has made," Madhi said.

"The challenges facing Eskom are always very different and we need someone who is able and capable of understanding those challenges and navigating Eskom through those challenges."