Ben Ngubane slams ‘Gupta board’ notion at state capture commission

Former Eskom board chairperson Ben Ngubane is back in the hot seat at the commission of inquiry into state capture as he sheds light into the ‘Gupta board’.

Ngubane, who was appointed during December 2014, said Eskom was found in shambles.

Criticising allegations by another former Eskom chairperson, Zola Tsotsi, that the board during his tenure was described as the “Gupta board”, he said the notion was careless and came from a man who in a 2015 tabloid report was accused of mismanagement related to the procurement issues regarding Gupta-linked company Tegeta.

Ngubane served as Eskom chairman of the board until June 2017, when he ultimately resigned.

Asked what his relationship was with a certain Gupta associate Salim Essar was like, Ngubane said Essar was no special friend.

He fingered businessman Richard Seleke as the said businessman who he was associated with in an email the commission put forward, with a private email address and not Essar as previously reported.

The commission has adjourned for a short tea break.

Ngubane previously appeared before the commission to discuss issues relating to the employment of then former CEO of Eskom Brian Molefe, payments made to Gupta-owned Tegeta Exploration and resources for coal supplies.

During testimony in 2018, Ngubane, who served as acting board chairman, highlighted how decisions on the power utility were not only made by him, but by the board including its subcommittees.

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