Johannesburg – The Board of City Power has announced that Chief Operations Officer Charles Tlouane will be the Acting Chief Executive Officer after the incumbent, Tshifularo Mashava, handed in her resignation.
The Board said the appointment was made after it received the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Mashava, effective 30 March 2026.
The Board held a special Board meeting earlier today, 19 February 2026, and appointed Tlouane to assume the role of Acting Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 April 2026.
“Mashava’s departure marks the conclusion of a significant chapter for the utility. Having officially joined City Power a decade ago, she has served as CEO since 2022, following a period as Acting CEO and, before that, as the Group Executive: HR,” the board said in a statement made available to The Bulrushes.
“Her career in the energy sector spans over two decades, including a foundational eight-year period at Eskom and time as a consultant at Deloitte.
“During her tenure as CEO, Mashava spearheaded the critical strategic transition of City Power from a traditional electricity distributor into a comprehensive energy entity.”
The board said under Mashava’s leadership, the organisation achieved several key milestones, including:
- Clean Governance: Orchestrating unqualified audits, which have improved year on year towards achieving a “clean audit” in the near future, is a testament to her focus on transparency and operational excellence.
- Energy Diversification: Leading the “10-point energy plan”, which successfully integrated renewable energy sources into the grid and launched the city’s first municipal-led electric vehicle (EV) and microgrid programmes.
- Infrastructure & Service: Overseeing the electrification of thousands of households in informal settlements and reducing unplanned outages through a rigorous turnaround strategy.
- Empowerment: Championing “Collective Excellence” and gender inclusivity, notably increasing the representation of women in technical and leadership roles within the organisation.
“Mashava leaves behind a solid foundation and a transformed organisation that is better equipped to meet the energy needs of a modern Johannesburg,” the statement said.
“Her commitment to the residents of this city has been exemplary.
“Mashava is stepping down to pursue other professional and personal interests. The Board is currently in consultation with the Shareholder, the City Manager, and the MMC to ensure leadership continuity.
“The Board, EXCO, and the employees of City Power thank Mashava for her dedicated service and wish her the very best in her future endeavours.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) suggested that there was more to Mashava’s resignation.
“While leadership transitions can be necessary, this development comes after years of deteriorating performance at City Power, characterised by prolonged outages, infrastructure failures, cable theft, financial instability, and declining service delivery that has left residents and businesses suffering,” the DA said.
The DA said under the current administration, the entity has struggled to maintain a reliable electricity supply and protect infrastructure.
Last year, on 25 September, the elite crime busters – The Hawks – conducted a raid on City Power’s Johannesburg headquarters, seizing procurement records, contracts, and data linked to transformer purchases amid a multimillion-rand corruption probe.
The operation targeted alleged irregularities involving around R500 million, including a disputed R67 million tender.
However, City Power contested the search as unlawful, leading to a Johannesburg High Court ruling on 10 October 2026 declaring the warrant invalid.
