NKANGALA – Stakeholder forums have been criticised for hindering access to decision-makers at Eskom.
eMalahleni social entrepreneur and activist Pascaline Mazibuko, popularly known as Bullet Mkabayi, has come down heavily on stakeholder forums, accusing them of gatekeeping.
“Stakeholder forums are one platform that practises gatekeeping,” she said during the Eskom Business Connect symposium held at the Banquet Hall in Middelburg on 5–6 March.
“Most of us do not believe in or subscribe to stakeholder forums. We are independent businesspeople.”
She added that going through stakeholder forums to access opportunities has become a challenge. “We want an open policy where we have direct access to Eskom’s decision-makers. Being subjected to a stakeholder forum is not acceptable.
“There should be other means of engaging communities besides stakeholder forums.
“You find a stakeholder forum with an enterprise and employment committee being led by someone who does not even have a Human Resources qualification,” she said.
“We know amabhantinti (ex-convicts) sitting in these forums with no qualifications, yet they are telling us that they are going to empower us.”
Mkabayi urged Eskom management to consider her request as a matter of urgency before it is too late. “We are asking nicely, before we meet each other on the ground, that you disband the stakeholder forums.”
Victor Khanye-based entrepreneur Smanga Mashiane had a slightly opposing view, placing the blame on stakeholder managers for failing to do due diligence. “They are running stakeholder forums as their own businesses,” he said. “They are no longer serving the purpose for which these forums were established, which is to benefit communities.”
Mashiane also questioned the capacity of stakeholder managers to effectively handle the forums.
“Sometimes we may blame them, only to find that most of them are new to this and don’t understand what stakeholder forums are for or what is expected of them,” he said.
“Has Eskom ever trained, workshopped, or inducted stakeholder managers on their functions?” he asked. “I would like Eskom to revive these forums by establishing a temporary team to facilitate their rebirth because they have greatly benefited communities—unless Eskom wants to go with the motion of disbandment for its own benefit as management.”
