Eskom has announced the appointment of Calib Cassim as Interim Group Chief Executive (GCE) Officer with immediate effect.

Cassim will lead the Eskom management team until further notice.

He was appointed as Eskom’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in November 2018 after serving as Acting CFO from July 2017.

“He is a registered Chartered Accountant (SA) and holds a master’s degree in Business Leadership (MBL). With over 20 years of service in Eskom, his qualifications and extensive experience have provided Cassim with a deep understanding and appreciation of the Eskom business and the electricity industry, especially regarding the challenges facing the financing of operations and future expansion of the industry,” Eskom said on Friday.

Eskom has thanked his family for permitting him to assume the additional responsibilities and is grateful to Cassim for stepping up to GCE role.

On Wednesday the power utility announced that then GCE Andrè de Ruyter would leave the organisation with immediate effect. This followed Tuesday’s special Board meeting where the Eskom Board and de Ruyter reached mutual agreement to curtail his notice period to 28 February 2023.

De Ruyter had been at the helm of the ailing electricity supplier since December 2019.

“The board further resolved that Mr de Ruyter will not be required to serve the balance of his notice period but that he will be released from his position with immediate effect,” said Eskom.

At the time of the announcement of the resignation in December 2022, it was said that the former CGE had agreed to stay for an additional period beyond the stipulated 30-days’ notice to ensure continuity while we urgently embark on a search for his successor. His last day at Eskom would have been 31 March 2023.

Source: South African Government News Agency