South Africa Sets Role for Electricity Czar After Almost a Year

(Bloomberg) — South Africa’s president approved an agreement giving Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa authority over the board and management of the state-owned power utility on ending blackouts, while Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan will oversee its restructuring.

It comes almost a year after Ramokgopa was appointed to the newly created position to help end power outages that have been hindering the economy for more than a decade and reached record levels last year. At the time of the initial announcement there was little detail on what exactly his duties would be and what authority he would have over the utility, Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd.

Read more: Why South Africa Is Mired in an Electricity Crisis: QuickTake

The memorandum of understanding “establishes a firm basis for a collaborative approach between the ministers in exercising their assigned powers and functions,” the…