JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown began her testimony to Parliament’s Eskom inquiry by denying claims she consulted with members of the Gupta family before making decisions.
Earlier today former Eskom chairperson Zola Tsotsi said that Tony Gupta and Gupta business partner Salim Essa worked with Brown to compile a list of board members that Tsotsi had the responsibility of appointing to head various committees on the Eskom board.
“There is a clear association between Minister Brown and the Gupta family,” he said.
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Tsotsi told members at Parliament’s Eskom Inquiry that Minister Brown invited him to her house after he was named CEO of Eskom in December 2014. “Tony Gupta and Salim Essa were present,” said Tsotsi.
“I have never consulted with anyone on my executive functions. Not Tony Gupta or Salim Essa or anyone else. Why would I hand over my functions to anyone else? In as far as Board appointments are concerned, I report to Cabinet, and Cabinet decides who serves on Boards," she said.
“Recommendations to establish Board sub committees come to me from the Boards in writing and I generally approve them as they know their members better than I do.”