Segomoco Scheppers will return to Eskom Holdings following the conclusion of his secondment as interim CEO of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA).
The NTCSA, formally unbundled from Eskom last year, is responsible for managing South Africa’s transmission grid and implementing the Transmission Development Plan. Scheppers, who joined Eskom in 1993 and served as MD of the Transmission division, was seconded to lead the transition and operationalise the NTCSA business in July 2024.
“His return to Eskom will bolster leadership capacity as the utility navigates critical reforms,” the NTCSA said in a statement.
The company confirmed that Scheppers was shortlisted for the permanent role of CEO but the NTCSA board has “not yet identified the candidate to lead the business into its next phase”. It said the executive search process remains underway.
“The NTCSA and Eskom Holdings boards are committed to expediting the executive search and securing the appointment of a CEO who will navigate the complexities of operating in a competitive energy market,” it said. A new interim CEO will be appointed in the meantime.
Reform at a critical time
The leadership change coincides with another shift in South Africa’s energy sector, which raises concerns about institutional stability in the power sector, said Chris Yelland, MD of EE Business Intelligence.
Tshifhiwa Bernard Magoro stepped down on April 30 as head of the Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office, following a nearly five-year tenure. Elsa Strydom, an executive at the agency, has been appointed interim Head of the IPP Office.
“The twin departures mark a critical moment for energy reform with stakeholders warning that continuity and certainty must be restored to sustain investor confidence in South Africa’s energy transition,” Yelland said.
“Magoro, a central figure in public procurements of wind, solar and gas capacity from IPPs, leaves behind something of a vacuum at the IPP Office at a critical time.”
