Only one woman in PetroSA’s new executive committee

The new CEO of state-owned oil and gas company PetroSA Xolile Sizani has wasted little time in restructuring the organisation in a leadership shake-up that has seen only one woman make it to the group’s executive committee — a situation that has raised eyebrows in some quarters in the company.

Business Day has seen internal communication from Sizani in which he informs the company’s employees of the organisation’s new structure.

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“As you are aware, PetroSA continues to face challenges that require successful implementation of various initiatives that will stabilise the business towards financial sustainability. It is important that, amongst other things, we are organised in a manner that allows for integrated operation and decision making,” Sizani said in a letter dated 20 May 2024.

“Following an extensive review and consultation at the executive and the immediate level below, an optimised organisational structure has now been finalised for implementation. This structure takes into account the principles of accountability, responsibility and collaboration whilst at the same time remaining lean and cost effective.”

“I encourage all our colleagues to embrace the above-mentioned change with commitment, dedication and hard work. We are also reintroducing executive committee governance committees, to support these structural changes.”

The new structure displaced three women from the previous structure; Sesakho Magadla, Xoliswa Mpongoshe and Xolelwa Ntlango.

Mpongoshe, who previously held the role of executive responsible for corporate services has been demoted to a role of head of department at the company, while Ntlango has been removed from her role as executive responsible for enterprise optimisation to a GM role at SA National Petroleum Company.

Magadla, who served a stint as acting CEO before Sizani was appointed to the role has been ‘redeployed’ to the Central Energy Fund. Magadla was with PetroSA for 16 years, and has also held the role of acting COO.

The only woman remaining in the executive committee is group CFO Nombulelo Tyandela. The appointment of Sizani, previously the CEO of facilities management and cleaning solutions company Servest was announced by the cabinet at the end of February. He officially took over the role at the beginning of April.

One of the challenges before him is to restart operations at its gas-to-liquid refinery in Mossel Bay. Under the new structure, the role of COO and chief corporate service officer are in acting capacities, and Business Day understands there is a likelihood that they might be filled by women.

PetroSA in its response said its leadership team expanded beyond the executive committee.

“Your assertion that there is only one woman left is incorrect and in fact there are more than one woman in the leadership team. This is not accurate as we have 50% women leadership represented in the current structure compared to 36% women representation in the previous structure,” PetroSA spokesperson said.

“PetroSA is an organic organisation and employees resign for various reasons. The focus is to ensure that all vacant senior positions will be targeting women, including at executive committee where preference will be to employ women,”

“The definition of leadership at PetroSA takes cognisance of different levels of decision making positions. At a board level, we have 50% women representation and the chairperson is a woman. Therefore, the current structure reflects that we have increased women representation as part of the company’s transformation objectives.”

Khumalok@businesslive.co.za