Eskom chairman Zola Tsotsi has stepped down, the South African power utility said in a statement on Tuesday, after he was accused of acting improperly by suspending the chief executive.

“The board and the chairperson held a constructive discussion about charting a way forward for the power utility.

Mr Tsotsi agreed to step down as a director and chairperson of the board,” Eskom said in a statement.

“Mr Tsotsi indicated that the board had unity of purpose and that his decision to step down was in the interest of the company and the country and was done in order to allow the board to focus on the core issues facing Eskom.”