By Christelle Terreblanche
Political Bureau

In a high-level bid to resolve the stand-off between Eskom's board and its chief executive officer, Jacob Maroga, President Jacob Zuma is understood to have personally met board chairperson Bobby Godsell.

Well-placed government sources confirmed the meeting late on Sunday after the matter had been discussed by the ANC leadership during a meeting of the ANC's national executive committee this weekend.

The tussle over control of the state-owned electricity provider spilled into the public domain last week with a statement announcing Maroga's resignation, followed by suggestions that he had tried to withdraw his resignation.

Continues Below ↓ Godsell said he could not confirm or deny the meeting with Zuma

Zuma's intervention is a departure from his firm stance not to intervene in the leadership tussles at state-owned enterprises. Zuma distanced the Presidency from an ANC show of support for Transnet executive Siyabonga Gama, who hoped to be appointed to the parastatal's top job in September. Zuma told the media that only Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan could appoint the Transnet CEO.

It is understood that Maroga and Godsell had differences of opinion over how to steer the utility and vowed not to work with each other.

Godsell said he could not confirm or deny the meeting with Zuma.

"We are following a particular process and we will comment formally through a media statement or briefing and we are not doing either right now," Godsell said on Sunday. "I am not in a position to comment."

The state should take 'decisive action and provide leadership'

On Friday, the chairwoman of the National Assembly's public enterprises committee, Vytjie Mentor, urged the government to be more proactive in the running of state-owned enterprises.

"If the government does not intervene in this Eskom saga, the image of Eskom and the country will be dented."

She said Hogan had approved Godsell's appointment on behalf of the state and "therefore, when a crisis arises (the cabinet) cannot stand on the sidelines".

The state should take "decisive action and provide leadership", she said.

Mentor also said that Maroga had told her himself that he has not resigned.

The Black Management Forum (BMF) has thrown its weight behind Maroga. It said on Sunday that the matter would be discussed at a regular board meeting today. The meeting would determine whether the board would try to meet Godsell or intervene through other channels.

BMF managing director Gaba Tabane said on Friday that Godsell had "misinformed the Eskom staff and the public" that Maroga had quit.

"Having consulted widely with various reliable sources, the BMF accepts that Mr Maroga did not resign from Eskom nor does he intend to do so. The BMF challenges the chairman and the board to provide evidence of his resignation."

Tabane denied weekend reports that members of the forum would go with Maroga when he went to work today.

The DA warned against "racialising the debate over Eskom's mismanagement", saying the focus should be on the core mandate of delivery of electricity to all South Africans.

• This article was originally published on page 1 of Cape Times on November 09, 2009