Cape Town - The chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, has apologised to Eskom board member Busisiwe Mavuso for the manner he handled their fiery meeting exchange last week.
Hlengwa said on Tuesday evening the IFP national executive committee had met to discuss the issue.
It asked him to reflect on it given what Mavuso had said on radio about the exchange.
Mavuso had taken exception to the manner in which the exchange took place, saying to Radio 702 “I am not going to be told to behave as if I am a naughty 12-year-old schoolgirl”.
Hlengwa said the IFP NEC had accepted his explanation and upheld that the rules of Parliament were correctly invoked “insofar as the construct of Scopa is concerned”.
“The party asked me to reflect on the manner in which these rules were applied, and to give due regard to how Ms Mavuso may have felt, considering the sentiments she expressed on Radio 702 on Monday, 25 April 2022.
“I have done this. Accordingly, I wish to express an apology to Ms Mavuso; which I will convey to her in due course. I accept that the situation could have been handled better,” said Hlengwa.
Hlengwa and Mavuso were caught up in a heated exchange last Friday during a meeting with the Eskom board and management.
This followed Scopa’s oversight visit to Medupi and Kusile power stations and later meeting with Eskom.
Mavuso had accused the ANC-led government of the mess at Eskom.
But Hlengwa accused her of getting into political terrain and was asked to leave the meeting.
After the IFP meeting Hlengwa apologised to Mavuso and said the matter could have been handled better.
The ANC also entered the fray and said Mavuso was out of order.
But Hlengwa said he felt the matter could have been handled better.
“While my exchange with Eskom during the Scopa meeting escalated in the manner that it did, it was an exercise of my responsibility as chairperson to caution against attempts to draw Scopa into partisan politicking in the discharge of its work,” said Hlengwa.
He added that entities have a responsibility to account.
In some instances the engagements would be uncomfortable, but it was the role of legislators to hold politicians, officials and non-executive directors accountable.
POLITICAL BUREAU