ANC votes against motion to set up inquiry into corruption at Eskom

Political parties debate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address in Parliament. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)

Political parties debate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address in Parliament. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Mar 23, 2023

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The ANC has pulled the plug on another motion in the national legislature where it voted against a motion to set up an inquiry into Eskom corruption.

The DA had tabled the motion and the EFF inserted amendments to the motion with an expanded mandate for the inquiry.

The ANC’s 201 members voted against the motion and opposition parties could not get the motion through after they managed to secure 115 votes.

John Steenhuisen, leader of the DA, had called for the investigation into the corruption and theft at Eskom after former CEO Andre de Ruyter had made damning allegations.

De Ruyter had said there were four cartels operating at Eskom’s coal-fired power stations in the country.

He added that a high-ranking politician was involved in the looting at Eskom.

De Ruyter added that he had told a Cabinet member about the level of corruption at the power utility and the involvement of the senior politician in the ANC.

Steenhuisen said this required the intervention of Parliament and it needed to set up an inquiry into the rampant corruption at Eskom.

This cannot be allowed to continue when lawmakers were available to conduct the probe, said Steenhuisen.

The country had been plunged into various stages of load shedding over the last few weeks.

Eskom was expected to appoint a new CEO after De Ruyter left the position a few weeks ago. Chief financial officer Calib Cassim is acting CEO.

The Eskom crisis has led to businesses losing billions of rand because of load shedding.

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