Thank you very much, hon Deputy Chair. The Ministerial Technical Review Task Team produced a report that was submitted to the Minister of Public Enterprises. The report covers key findings from the assessment of the Eskom operations and provided recommendations for correcting the challenges identified. Some of the findings from the task team are: Firstly, that during the period when Eskom staff count was on the increase, generation staff numbers were reduced compounded by the cessation of investment in development programme and increase in overtime. Further, the recruitment embargo imposed has negatively impacted generation head count on co critical and scarce skills.
It also found that there is anecdotal evidence that the cessation of performance related incentive schemes contributed to low staff morale and reduced the level of responsiveness towards emergency situations. This has increased the attrition rate at station levels.
Eskom generation based-load fleet age averages 37 years and is at the stage where mid-life refurbishment is required. In the last 12 months, plant capability loses have risen at an unprecedented rate. This is attributed to an increase in partial load loses and erratic unit strips.
The load losses are due to the aging plant and several other factors, coal quality, the ability to timorously procure spares and services, practices that impact operations as well as the reduction in generation men per our numbers.
There was also a negative impact on maintenance due to the introduction of various maintenance strategies over the last five years. The adherence to procurement processes from end-users specifications to buyers and contracts management has been found to have at gaps as well as the Nine Point Plan generation while covering the critical areas, people process and plants, lacks ownership to power and station levels as well as it was under- resourced and not dynamic to enable sustainable solutions.
The recommendations were on leadership and performance. A number of recommendations were made like the appointment of key permanent staff lifting the embargo in generation, disciplining as well as ensuring accountable leadership as well as launching of the campaign to improve the Eskom brand and enhance Eskom's communication.
Regarding systems, a number of suggestions were made. There were a number of suggestions and recommendations made in respect of reliability and performance of plant. Of course, the full report has
been provided to Eskom for implementation. The task team has been re- engaged to audit the extent to which the recommendations have been implemented. Thank you very much.