The recent appointment of former Eskom chief operating officer, Jan Oberholzer, as the new chairman of Mulilo Energy Holdings has raised eyebrows and stirred a conversation about empowerment within the company.
Upon hearing the news of Oberholzer’s new role, I was initially excited about the prospect of his expertise being utilised in what on the surface appeared to be a “black-owned company”.
However, upon closer inspection of Mulilo Energy Holdings’ profile on their website, it became evident that the company was neither black-owned nor black-led.
Despite the name “Mulilo,” which means “fire” in Tshivenda, there is little connection to Tshivenda culture within the company’s structure.
In reality, Mulilo is a South African independent power producer, with the majority of its ownership resting in the hands of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
What’s more, the entire executive management team is composed of predominantly white males.
There is one white woman executive, which raises concerns about who is benefiting from a Just Transition initiated by the government. A Just Transition means greening the economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible to everyone concerned, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind.
This situation prompts the question of whether there is a lack of recognition for the skills and expertise possessed by South African blacks in the renewable energy sector?
Furthermore, the company’s name and profile can be considered misleading or a form of cultural appropriation of an African heritage.
The company might easily be mistaken for an Eastern European entity, rather than a South African one.
I hope that Jan Oberholzer, who previously worked for a state-owned entity like Eskom, understands the historical context of South Africa’s journey.
Considering this, I expect him to work hard to transform the management team at Mulilo, actively seeking out capable black professionals to contribute to the renewable energy industry.
Such a move would align with South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) initiatives, which aim to address ongoing economic inequalities, especially in terms of black ownership, employment, and procurement within companies.
The current state of Mulilo Energy Holdings draws parallels with the heavy haul trucks used to transport coal in Mpumalanga Province, particularly in towns like Bethal.
These mining companies are often operated by white males who have renamed the trucks from Afrikaner names to Fanakalo names. Fanakalo is a lingua franca developed and used by the southern African mining companies, composed of frequently corrupted elements of the Nguni languages, English, and Afrikaans.
This situation highlights the persistence of inequalities in South Africa.
One can only hope that Oberholzer will work towards transforming Mulilo Energy Holdings to better reflect the demographics of South Africa.
There are many other companies, like Mulilo, that do not seem to prioritise economic transformation.
The pressing question remains, how long can such disparities persist, given the growing discontentment among those marginalised in the country’s economy?
