Judgment in the challenge by Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona to have his suspension set aside has been reserved by the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Thursday, City Press online reported.<\/p>\n
The decision was expected to be handed down on Friday.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Eskom questioned why Matona’s suspension should be lifted before the outcome of his case at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA).<\/p>\n
“…This is frustrating the work of the board to try and steady the ship,” said Eskom’s counsel Paul Kennedy SC of Matona’s dual application to the court and the CCMA.<\/p>\n
He said load shedding and Standard and Poor’s downgrading of Eskom’s rating would not suddenly end if his suspension was lifted.<\/p>\n
He should rather wait for the outcome of an inquiry into the power utility’s problems.<\/p>\n
Kennedy said Matona’s suspension on March 11 had a life of three months — the duration of the inquiry.<\/p>\n
While the case was being heard the company announced another round of blackouts.<\/p>\n
Eskom believed there was nothing to show that Matona’s reputation would be irreparably harmed by waiting for the outcome of the inquiry.<\/p>\n
Matona filed his case at the Labour Court and the CCMA on March 20.<\/p>\n
Matona’s counsel Andrew Redding SC said his client was “confused” when he was told he was being suspended.<\/p>\n
Before that there had been a meeting to decide whether to hold an inquiry into the company’s problems. There was not enough support at the meeting but at a later meeting board chairman Zola Tsotsi said the inquiry would go ahead and asked Matona to recuse himself for the inquiry’s duration.<\/p>\n
Matona had tried to clarify whether this was actually a suspension and whether he should go to work or not.<\/p>\n
Redding said: “Absent is any statement to Mr Matona that he is guilty of misconduct… or that there is any suggestion that he is guilty of misconduct. Not one statement.”<\/p>\n
The other three asked to step down are finance director Tsholofelo Molefe, group capital executive Dan Morokane, and commercial and technology executive Matshela Koko.<\/p>\n
Matona was present at the hearing but declined to speak to the media, saying his conditions of suspension precluded this.<\/p>\n
Eskom CEO \u2018suspended\u2019 amid inquiry<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n