Zondo commission takes a break until Friday

After days of hearing explosive testimony on the depth of the Gupta family’s hold on Eskom under Anoj Singh, Matshela Koko and Brian Molefe’s executive leadership, the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, which went on a two-day recess from today, will on Friday reconvene hearings with Gert Opperman, Eskom’s contracts manager at its primary energy division and former fuel sourcing manager Johann Bester, taking the stand.

According to Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the commission would adjourn “despite having liked to sit”.

“But the owners of the venue had asked that certain dates be reserved for them, because they have certain special events and those dates included Wednesday and Thursday,” said Zondo.

“So, that is the reason why we won’t be sitting – the venue is just not available. We will resume on Friday,” Zondo added.

With Zondo now zeroing in on unearthing the dirt that plagued Eskom when the Gupta dynasty showed its muscle under the Jacob Zuma presidency, Opperman and Bester’s testimonies are likely to shed more light on the dodgy deals approved by the Eskom board and its executives.

What has thus far surfaced in evidence given by chair Jabu Mabuza, treasury specialist Sincedile Shweni and Snelhal Nagar, is that Eskom foot soldiers at management level were bound to toe the line, lest they be fired.

The three-hour prepayment of R659 million to Gupta-linked Tegeta Exploration and Resources to cement the deal that ensured the 2016 takeover of Glencore-owned Optimum Mining assets by the Guptas, is likely to dominate hearings on Friday and Monday.

Without any services rendered, Eskom financed the deal, which led to more than R2 billion in penalties being levelled against Optimum “for delivering poor quality coal to Eskom” – ironically not against new land lords Tegeta.

The damning National Treasury report on Eskom has found that the power utility’s management prejudiced Glencore by refusing to sign a negotiated coal contract – giving advantage to Tegeta to acquire all Optimum assets, which included the lucrative Richards Bay Terminal.

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