Cape Town - Eskom and another of the executives it suspended in March have “mutually agreed to part ways on an amicable basis”, the power utility said in a statement on Monday.
Details of exactly how much the exit settlement with Dan Marokane, group executive for group capital, would cost the utility would not be made available immediately, Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe told the African News Agency.
Marokane was suspended along with former CEO Tshediso Matona, finance director Tsholofelo Molefe and technology and commercial executive Matshela Koko to allow for an independent fact-finding inquiry into the troubled utility to go ahead unhindered.
“It is expressly noted that no misconduct or wrongdoing is alleged by Eskom against Mr Marokane,” Eskom said on Monday.
“Mr Marokane believes that the agreement to separate is in the best interests of both parties; to allow the board to pursue its plans for the company under the current leadership and for him to seek new career opportunities.”
Marokane’s suspension would now fall away and the inquiry would go ahead.
“The separation is also by no means in anticipation of the outcome of the inquiry, the latter whose objective is to enable the organisation to deal with its challenges,” Eskom said.
More than a week ago, Eskom said it had parted ways with Matona, and also refused to divulge the details of the negotiated settlement between the two parties.
Asked what sum Matona would be paid as part of his exit package, Phasiwe said at the time: “At this stage those details are not going to be made public. We will do so in due course when we issue our financial year end statement.”
In terms of the Public Finance Management Act, Eskom is obliged to disclose the salaries and packages paid out to executives and board members.
However, since both Matona and Marokane’s departure from Eskom falls in the 2015/16 financial year, Eskom was legally allowed to only make the disclosure when it releases its financial year end results next year.
Matona, Marokane, Molefe and Koko were asked to step aside in March by former Eskom chairman Zola Tsotsi so that members of an inquiry could have unfettered access to to the utility.
Tsotsi had since stepped down as board chairman, and a new inquiry was launched.
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