Eskom board continues to clean house

Twenty-four Eskom employees have been identified to be doing business with the power utility.

Eskom chairman Jabu Mabuza, CEO Phakamani Hadebe and acting Financial Officer Calib Cassim during the interim results announcement at Megawatt Park on January 30, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo mages / Netwerk24 / Felix Dlangamandla)

Board members at Eskom are continuing with their clean sweep at the state-owned power utility, with 239 cases of possible wrongdoing being identified through whistleblowers alone, MPs heard on Wednesday.

Briefing parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises, board member Sindi Mabaso-Koyana said, following the departure of five senior managers “on the face of serious allegations of misconduct”, more executives were suspended.

“A further four executives remain on suspension, two of which will be facing independent disciplinary hearings in this month of April, with the remaining two scheduled for the month of May,” she said.

Of the 239 cases being probed, 75 investigations have been completed. At least 39 people are already facing disciplinary action.

Lifestyle audits of senior managers were also under way, “not just at executive level, two steps below the executive level”, said Mabaso-Koyana.

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Eskom workers doing business with the entity were also under the microscope, as this was against company policy.

“This has always been policy, but not been applied and monitored, so we are now raising awareness of this …” said Mabaso-Koyana.

“Through an audit process, 24 employees were identified … to be doing business with Eskom. In fact, one employee had a contract of R26 milion for themselves.”

She also indicated the process to appoint permanent top executives was in full swing, telling MPs that by the end of April, subject to ministerial approval, Eskom should have a new group chief executive and, by the end of May, a new chief financial officer in place.

– African News Agency (ANA)