Pretoria - The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has denied suggestions it is pre-empting the outcome of the Eskom inquiry into chief executive Andre de Ruyter, saying it has no faith in the probe based on the power utility’s questionable handling of similar allegations levelled against chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer.
The union’s spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, said they would have preferred an independent process such as the one Scopa was considering. “We are basing it (our stance) on our previous experiences with them in relation to how they handled the matter involving Oberholzer. It was established that he had a relationship with Stefanutti Stocks, but the board cleared him. So for us that outcome was a whitewash and we suspect this process will follow a similar process in order to clear Andre de Ruyter,” she said.
Hlubi-Majoba added that the union would have preferred an independent inquiry such as the one Scopa was considering.
Numsa has called into question the integrity of Eskom’s mandated inquiry into allegations of impropriety and procurement irregularities against De Ruyter. This was after Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) last week decided to halt its inquiry into allegations of abuse of power against De Ruyter to allow Eskom’s investigation to run its course within 90 days.
Scopa’s decision was made after Public Enterprise Minister Pravin Gordhan brought forward a case persuading the committee not to duplicate activities, as Eskom had indicated it would institute a probe to be headed by advocate Ishmael Semenya SC.
Last month Eskom’s chief procurement officer Solly Tshitangano cried foul about De Ruyter’s conduct while making a presentation before Scopa, sparking the committee to probe the allegations.
The Pretoria News reported in February that Tshitangano last year asked board chairperson Professor Malegapuru Makgoba to investigate allegations De Ruyter subverted proper supply chain policies in order to make irregular appointments. Tshitangano said he did not support the subversion of supply chain policies as the chief procurement officer.
Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said then Makgoba had “found there was insufficient evidence or merit to institute an inquiry” into allegations by Tshitangano.
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