'Koko shared crucial Eskom documents with Gupta-linked Salim Essa'

Eskom board chairperson Jabu Mabuza. Screengrab

Eskom board chairperson Jabu Mabuza. Screengrab

Published Feb 25, 2019

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Johannesburg - Eskom board chairperson Jabu Mabuza has told the Zondo commission how former Eskom executive Matshela Koko shared confidential company documents with Gupta-linked Salim Essa. 

Mabuza returned to the stand on Monday after his first appearance on Friday. 

He took the commission through dozens of emails that were sent by Koko to a strange email address, businessinfoportal@zoho.com. Mabuza said it is suspected that the email address belonged to Essa. 

A number of the emails sent by Koko were sent in 2015. Mabuza said in early 2015 the country was having trouble with load-shedding and in March that year, a number of executives were suspended. 

Koko was one of those that had been suspended and before the Denton investigation was to begin, Koko was brought back to Eskom in July 20 2015. 

Mabuza says on that date of his return, Koko immediately started sending confidential Eskom documents to the info portal's email address. The Eskom chair said this demonstrated Koko's devotion to capturers and showing them the business opportunities at Eskom. 

"Their intention was to create business opportunities for certain people. The email attachment was an Eskom document titled 'directives for the implementation of Treasury cost containment instruction and government gazette'. This document is a directive from National Treasury advising government departments on how to save costs," he said. 

"The pattern that we picking up here is on July 20, 2015, on his return to office, Koko sells this material to Mr Essa. This is to demonstrate to Mr Essa what business opportunities exist in Eskom. This is where certain work was given to McKinsey and this is how Trillion has inserted to offer the business opportunity, " Mabuza told the inquiry. 

Koko also went on to send other emails to the same email address, even a resolution of an Eskom executive meeting. 

Mabuza also spoke about the emergence of McKinsey and its involvement in Eskom's Top Engineers programme. 

In the emails read out by Mabuza, it appeared Koko shared crucial confidential  Eskom discussions on procurement with Essa. In one instance Koko signed a document and immediately sent it to Essa. 

The inquiry continues.

IOL

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