Zoril Sizani will become CEO of state-run oil company PetroSA, with the cabinet approving his appointment on Thursday.
PetroSA has had an acting CEO for more than a year since former CEO Pragasen Naidu stepped down midway through his contract in September 2022.
According to News24, Sizani's appointment comes after his favorite candidate, PetroSA chairman Nkululeko Poya, failed a safety test, after Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe submitted a new name to cabinet in November. Even after it had to be done. The site reported Thursday night that Poya had resigned from PetroSA's board following the announcement of Sizani's appointment.
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In mid-February, PetroSA announced that Sandisiwe Nsemane, who had been acting CEO since October 2022, had been “released” by his former employer, the Central Energy Fund. The oil company added at the time that Nsemane would be replaced on his behalf by Sesaho Magadla.
Read: PetroSA prepares new CEO as Gazprom deal approaches
It is unclear when Sizani will formally assume the top job at PetroSA.
According to his Linkedin profile, Sizani is currently the executive director of Nzuri Management Consultancy & Investment. He is also the former CEO of facilities management group Servest and before that was CEO of healthcare scheme Medipos.
He describes himself on Linkedin as a “seasoned executive with over 20 years of solid experience spanning the petrochemical, FMCG, gas, engineering, healthcare, pharmaceutical, and facilities management industries.” .
Sizani holds a Master's degree in Engineering from Stellenbosch University and a Master's degree in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa.