Eskom inquiry ‘bribe’ to be probed

Eskom’s interim chairperson Zethembe Khoza on Monday said he “rejects with contempt” claims that he ordered State Security Minister Bongani Bongo to offer a bribe to Ntuthuzelo Vanara, the evidence leader of parliament’s Eskom inquiry, to collapse the investigation.

One newspaper claimed to have seen an affidavit by Vanara in which he alleged that Bongo had offered him a bribe.

According to the report, Bongo told Vanara he was instructed by Khoza to offer the bribe.

But Khoza denied it, saying he he has “never spoken to Mr Bongo, and I have never met him”.

“I have absolutely no reason why I, or Eskom, would want to collapse the inquiry when we have been calling for such a legally-constituted platform so that we can place facts before the committee,” he said.

President Jacob Zuma met with National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete this week to be briefed on allegations about the bribe and “was attending to the matter”, the Presidency said.

The ANC also expressed its concerns over the allegations and called for a probe by the portfolio committee on public enterprises.

The committee earlier put out a statement defending Vanara, after he was criticised by Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises Ben Martins.

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