By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is preparing an urgent request to Eskom management related to the revelations made by outgoing Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter in a televised interview on Tuesday night, 21 February.
De Ruyter said evidence suggests that the power utility is a feeding trough for the ANC.
He said he informed a senior cabinet minister about a plot involving a “high-level politician” to steal from the $8.5 billion fund meant to ensure a just energy transition. The response left a lot to be desired.
“In the interests of accountability, transparency and combating the ANC corruption that has caused the load-shedding crisis, the DA’s Paia request will compel Eskom management to not only make public the name of the senior ANC politician concerned but to hand over all information and evidence at their disposal regarding the ANC’s involvement in corruption at Eskom,” said DA leader John Steenhuisen.
The party also wants Eskom management to hand over all information and evidence of corruption at their disposal.
“Should this information be verified through our PAIA request, De Ruyter’s revelations will provide inconvertible proof that the ANC stands as accused number one for the collapse of the South African electricity system and the suffering this inflicts on the 60 million people of this country,” said Steenhuisen.
De Ruyter said, “ANC want what will win them the next election, not what will keep the country going for the next two decades”.
“That balance has been disturbed by turning Eskom into a state-owned entity under the direct control of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).”
He said the DPE, under the leadership of minister Pravin Gordhan, played an interventionist role at Eskom and micromanaged the company.
Meanwhile Public enterprises minister Gordhan has hit back at De Ruyter, slamming him for “meddling” in politics .
“What’s important is that CEOs of any entity, including Eskom, should not be involved in open political debates or assertions, and where they have political views, that is their private business and they are welcome to express those views privately.
“But it is the responsibility of any CEO of any entity, as far as I am concerned, to keep their focus on the job at hand and make sure that is done as proficiently as possible,” said the minister.
“I think it’s a well-known and undeniable fact that corruption has been a feature both in Eskom and many other entities across government and of course the private sector.
Gordhan said there had been a number of investigations, people had appeared in courts, and a number of trials were scheduled to be heard.