Eskom Board Chair Resigns, Deepening Leadership Crisis
Eskom board chair Mpho Makwana has resigned, deepening the leadership crisis at the state-owned power utility, reports Moneyweb. Makwana was appointed to the position barely a year ago. His resignation comes shortly after he and the board clashed with Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan over the appointment of a new Eskom CEO. The board failed to present Gordhan with the required shortlist of candidates, causing uncertainty in the CEO selection process. Gordhan has denied any interference in the recruitment process, but commentators have warned that starting the process afresh could take months. Eskom has been without a permanent CEO since the departure of André de Ruyter in March 2023. Mteto Nyati, who has resigned from his position as an independent non-executive director of the Nedbank Group and Nedbank boards of directors, will act as chair of Eskom until a permanent replacement is found.
Private Companies Plead for Army Help as Cash-in-Transit Robberies Soar
Fidelity CEO Wahl Bartmann has called for military intervention to combat the rising threat of cash-in-transit heists in South Africa, reports eNCA. He expressed concerns over declining support from the police in addressing these crimes, as response times have become alarmingly slow. There have been 249 cash-in-transit robberies since January, marking a 30% increase from the previous year. Bartmann highlighted the need for government support, drawing parallels to the military's assistance in other situations. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi is advocating for a cashless economy in the province as a measure to counter the surge in cash-in-transit robberies.
South African Teachers Shortlisted for Global Prize, Aim to Use Winnings for Good
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Two South African teachers, Mokolwane Masweneng and Mariette Wheeler, have been shortlisted for the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2023. They are among the top 50 candidates out of over 7,000 nominations from 130 countries, reports TimesLIVE. Masweneng, an English teacher, has been teaching for free since 2011 and has been instrumental in encouraging children to participate in soccer, debate, drama, poetry, dance, and gardening. He has also challenged cultural norms hindering the education of girls by addressing issues such as teenage pregnancy and the lack of sanitary towels. Wheeler is a marine biologist who studied the behaviour of penguins, seals, and albatrosses on Marion Island. She has taken pupils on excursions to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town and organised camps for grade 12 pupils studying marine sciences. She has also been making recordings monthly about marine life for broadcast on Radio Pulpit. If either of them wins the prize, they plan to use the money to improve the education of children in their communities.
