Cape Town - Eskom board chairperson Mpho Makwana has revealed the behind-the-scenes intrigues during a board meeting at the beleaguered power utility which saw former chief executive André de Ruyter being let go before he had served his notice.
The Eskom board appeared before Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) following allegations made by De Ruyter regarding corruption, theft, maladministration, sabotage, lack of consequence management, cartels and financial irregularities at the power utility.
Makwana said at a meeting during which De Ruyter recused himself, the board had deliberated and come to the conclusion that the then-chief executive’s utterances during an interview on eNCA television had brought Eskom into disrepute.
Makwana said: “We therefore resolved to agree to the variation of his notice period to February 28. The board further resolved to release him from his obligation to serve the remainder of his notice period with immediate effect.”
Makwana and the Eskom board’s appearance came in the wake of Tuesday’s testimony to the committee by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), SAPS and Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa (IFP) said the committee had summoned the law enforcement agencies on Tuesday and the Eskom board yesterday to address matters brought to light by De Ruyter, who initiated a private investigation within the troubled entity.
Hlengwa said the committee had met De Ruyter on April 26 and discussed the eNCA interview and the allegations he had made public.
“Some allegations were new to the committee while some came to light in prior engagements and during the Zondo Commission into State Capture.”
Hlengwa said, adding De Ruyter had shed light on certain matters but many questions were left unanswered.
Former Eskom interim board chair Professor Malegapuru Makgoba told the committee that De Ruyter had informed him of an intelligence operation at the entity and had told ministers Pravin Gordhan, Bheki Cele and Gwede Mantashe of alleged corruption at Eskom’s power stations as far back as July last year.
Makgoba said De Ruyter had also informed national security adviser Sydney Mufamadi and President Cyril Ramaphosa about corruption and sabotage at Eskom.
Makgoba said the law enforcement agencies had let Eskom down: “If SAPS and the Hawks had done their work effectively and efficiently, we wouldn’t be meeting here with this committee.”
The committee will meet with Gordhan on Wednesday next week, May 17, and with Mufamadi on Tuesday, May 23.
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za