MY LOAD IS LIGHTER

He's seen the darkest of times at Eskom but now Jan Oberholzer is ready to retire and just be a husband and father

- JANA MARX 

WHERE do you see yourself at this company?

This was the question the human resources manager asked him when he interviewd for his first Eskom job.

“Head of Eskom,” he replied.

Panel members glanced at each other. “I’m sorry,” the HR manager said. “I don’t think you understood the question. Where do you see yourself at this company?”

“Head of Eskom,” he replied again.

Jan Oberholzer enjoys telling this story – and it says a lot about the man who’ll soon be retiring from the beleaguered power utility after a 30-year career.

Eskom is always where he saw himself. In fact, it’s in his blood: his father, Kobus, worked for the entity for 25 years, setting up power lines on wooden poles in the countryside.

“I had wonderful times in the field with my dad on weekends and on school holidays,” he says. “I admired him working so high in the sky.”

As a child Jan lived in an Eskom- owned house in Witbank and he’s always been fascinated by electricity – which is why he told the bursary panel of his lofty ambition all those decades ago.

He was awarded that bursary and, true to his word, rose all the way to the top of the Eskom ladder.

And now, after five years as group chief operating officer (GCOO), he’s about to pack up his office with its sweeping views of Megawatt Park in Midrand and spend more time with his wife, Lindy, and sons, Jacques (30), Francois (27) and Armand (25).

Retiring after working seven days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day, will be quite an adjustment – but Jan has no intention of cutting ties with Eskom altogether. He’s open to assisting the company with advice and will be offering his services as a consultant.