Eskom board chair Mteto Nyati’s public dressing-down plays into an old racial trope

South Africa's power utility, Eskom, recently reappointed its chairperson, Mteto Nyati, for another three-year term, a decision that has been met with mixed reactions. Eskom CEO Dan Marokane and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa welcomed the extension, citing the improved performance of the utility, which has been free from load shedding for almost 500 consecutive days and reported consecutive profitable years.

However, critics, including Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), have accused Nyati of obstructionism and questioned his commitment to reform, particularly regarding Eskom's unbundling. This response is seen as a clear example of the pervasive racial bias that Black leaders often face in South Africa, where failure is attributed to them, while success is attributed to everyone else.