Power utility Eskom has appointed Calib Cassim as Interim Group CEO with immediate effect.

Cassim, who is the current chief financial officer at the embattled company replaces Andre de Ruyter who was pushed out of office on Wednesday.

This follows a fallout between De Ruyter, the board of Eskom, the government and the ANC.

De Ruyter accused the ruling elite of using Eskom as a feeding trough with no interest in resolving load shedding and the energy crisis.

Cassim was appointed as Eskom’s CFO in November 2018 after serving as acting CFO from July 2017, Eskom said in a statement.

“He is a registered chartered accountant and holds a masters degree in business leadership.

“With over 20 years of service in Eskom, his qualifications and extensive experience have provided Mr Cassim with a deep understanding and appreciation of the Eskom business and electricity industry, especially regarding the challenges facing the financing of operations and future expansion of the industry,” the company said in a statement.

Meanwhile on Friday morning, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele joined groups putting pressure on De Ruyter to reveal the names of the minister and senior government officials involved in the looting of Eskom.

De Ruyter estimated that organised and entrenched criminal syndicates are costing the crumbling power utility over R1 billion a month.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula threatened to charge De Ruyter for soiling the good name of the ruling party by implicating it and its members in looting the R460 billion state company.

De Ruyter who has already survived an attempt on his life is expected to go into hiding and even leave the country out of fear for his safety.

Pictured above: Calib Cassim

Image source: Eskom