By Abigail Visagie
Mangaung Executive Mayor Gregory Nthatisi has dismissed claims that political interference led to the dissolution of the Centlec board, stating that the decision was based solely on governance and performance issues, rather than politics.
This follows the recent resignation of four board members who alleged political meddling in the power utility’s operations. They claimed that their request for CEO Molefane Sekoboto’s qualifications prompted Nthatisi to dissolve the board.
However, Nthatisi rejected these assertions, stating that the board had failed to fulfil its mandate and instead became entangled in internal conflicts with Centlec’s management.
“Centlec would have done well if it had been disbanded a while ago. I must confess that mistakes were made when we established the board. We underrated the importance of induction. If we had properly inducted the board, perhaps it would not have been disbanded,” said Nthatisi.
He explained that tensions between the board and management created a working crisis that could have been avoided through a structured induction process. The mayor added that divisions within Centlec’s staff further contributed to instability within the institution.
Nthatisi also noted that some former board members may have resigned out of concern for their professional reputations, fearing they might be labelled unfit to hold office.
“There’s a thin line between the administration and the board. One deals with policy, the other with implementation, and the two must complement each other. Unfortunately, that balance broke down, and I had to decide whether to deal with the administration or the board’s disorganisation,” he said.
The mayor confirmed that an interim board has been appointed in line with Centlec’s Memorandum of Incorporation, which requires such a structure in the absence of a permanent board.
“The matter has gone to the council, which resolved that we advertise for a new board. The advert has been placed, and we’ve been given three months to establish a new structure. We are now nearing the end of the second month, and by next month, a fully-fledged board will be in place to take over from the interim structure,” Nthatisi concluded.
This is a developing story. More details will appear in the Journal News on Friday.
