#StateCapture: I was told to meet a Gupta brother, says former Eskom CEO

Former Eskom chief executive Brian Dames File picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/ANA

Former Eskom chief executive Brian Dames File picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/ANA

Published Oct 18, 2017

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Parliament - Former Eskom CEO Brian Dames on Wednesday told a parliamentary inquiry that he was introduced to one of the Gupta brothers by an advisor to Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba.

During the meeting, he was pressed to give coal contracts to the Gupta family, Dames said.

"I was asked to meet with them by a ministerial advisor," Dames told the inquiry in response to a question from Democratic Alliance MP Natasha Mazzone.

The chairwoman of the portfolio committee on public enterprises, Zukiswa Rantho, asked him to be more specific and name the minister as well as his advisor.

"It was an advisor to Minister Gigaba, I think his name was Siyabonga Mahlangu," he replied.

"He arranged a meeting where I was present. It was a very strange meeting."

Dames said somebody he "assumed was one of the Gupta brothers" made three requests during the meeting, after telling him: "We think we can work with you."

He said his response was to inform Mahlangu that he would not entertain a meeting of this kind. 

"I said: 'You will not bring those people to me again.'"

Dames served as Eskom CEO from 2010 to 2014. Gigaba was public enterprises minister during this time.

African News Agency

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