ANCYL accepted a bribe of R500 000 for Eskom deal - report

Published Sep 26, 2017

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JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance is calling for the arrest of Just Coal CEO, Joe Singh, following his admission that he paid the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) R500 000 to score political favours.

Just Coal is a Mpumalanga based company. 

According to a statement released by the DA, ANCYL president, Collen Maine accepted a R500 000 “donation” from Singh, in the hopes that the league would convince Eskom against terminating their contract with Just Coal.

According to the Sunday Times Eskom planned to terminate a R8-billion contract with Just Coal. 

Owners of Just Coal met with Maine‚ and according to a report members with the youth league allegedly promised to find a “political solution” to the problem with Eskom.

This "political solution" would then cost Just Coal R500 000, in the form of a donation to the ANCYL.

The statement went on to read, "Singh’s shameless on-air confession is an admission of guilt and Maine’s acceptance of the questionable “donation” points towards his complicity in a crime. This was not just a donation. This was clearly a bribe to persuade politically aligned individuals close to Eskom to act in Just Coal’s interest. In an interview, Singh admitted that “We did have an expectation, it was that someone politically aligned could deal with [Matshela Koko]." Despite reports indicating that Maine failed to deliver on this promise, money still exchanged hands in what was clearly a blatant attempt to unduly influence an Eskom executive."

The DA further stated that bribery is a crime and that Singh should be held accountable for his illegal and unethical conduct.

The DA also called on the ANCYL to come clean and prove that this was a legitimate donation. Did this money line line the pockets of any one individual? 

The DA will also be laying charges against Singh and Maine on the allegations. The two possibly contravened Section 3 of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities (PACCA) Act.

Singh’s admission that his company paid the ANCYL to assist Just Coal in extending their Eskom contract can be seen as a general offence of corruption, in terms of Section 3 of the PACCA Act as set out above. 

The DA will ensure that Singh and Maine face the full might of the law and account for their questionable conduct.

 

Meet Just Coal CEO Joe Sigh who admitted to paying ANCYL R500 000 to help him extend his #Eskom contract.

RT until #Hawks find him. pic.twitter.com/MxgiTnMMLW

— Bulelani Phillip (@BulelaniPhillip) September 25, 2017

 - BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE 

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