Johannesburg - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) says if the latest allegations that Eskom chief operating officer (COO) Jan Oberholzer improperly used his position are true, he must vacate his position now.
The union was responding to fresh allegations that Oberholzer negotiated a contract with Stefanutti Stocks, a company which he once worked for and held shares in. It was also alleged he also asked a subordinate to find a job for his brother-in-law without disclosing that he was his close relative.
This is according to an article published by Bloomberg news agency on Sunday. The agency based it on probes commissioned by the power utility. The article also alleged that a payment approved by Oberholzer to another contractor was questioned by an independent counsel in a 15-page report.
The allegations put fresh pressure on Eskom which is already under pressure to recoup R4 billion which was paid to Stefanutti Stocks-Basil Read Joint Venture, Swedish multinational ABB South Africa, Tubulcar Construction Projects and Tenova Mining and Minerals SA during the Kusile power project in Mpumalanga.
Speaking to Independent Media after the latest revelations, Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM’s spokesperson, said Eskom had in the past few years lost billions due to graft and other unethical behaviour by senior staff. He added that Oberholzer, being a senior Eskom official, should lead by example, and if not, he must vacate his position.
“If this is true, we expect serious action to be taken against him and if this means that he has to resign, he must do so. As the COO at the power utility, Oberholzer must lead by example and lead in an ethical manner” Mammburu said.
He added that with serious allegations like these, it could not be business as usual for Oberholzer and his employer, Eskom.
“He must resign with immediate effect. Eskom does not need people like him and the company must prove that it is not soft on those who are accused of corruption,” he said.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said it had noted the allegations and “will respond in due course”.
Despite the mounting pressure on Oberholzer, Eskom is standing by its senior executive. Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said Bloomberg was rehashing an old story without any basis. Mantshantsha said “there is no basis” to the allegations and two probes had cleared their man.
He sent Independent Media a statement which Eskom issued regarding the matter in April this year. In that statement, Eskom said the senior counsel it appointed to probe the allegations cleared Oberholzer of corruption, dishonesty and abuse of power.
“The senior counsel conducted his investigation by interviewing witnesses and reviewing the information and documentary evidence provided by the witnesses, including the complainant and other Eskom officials,” Eskom said then.