Parliament, Thursday, 4 June 2020 – The Standing Committee on Appropriations (SCOA) has resolved to call Eskom back to account on the alleged erroneous payment(s) made to contractors. This follows the statement released by Eskom on 2 June 2020.
The committee is dismayed and disappointed that the statement by Eskom creates the impression that the committee either misunderstood or is confusing matters. While the committee does not want to be involved in a public spat with Eskom, it feels strongly that it should share facts with South Africans – the statement is misleading.
During the committee’s oversight to Eskom’s Megawatt Park in October 2019, management led by the Eskom Chief Operating Officer, Mr Jan Obelhozer, briefed the committee on many things, including the challenges at Medupi/Kusile, load shedding, worker/management relations, and so on. Management also told the committee, on their own volition, that they had found a R4 billion (this is, in fact, R4 billion not R5 billion) overpayment to a certain contractor(s); the said contractor also accepts that it was overpaid. Eskom was therefore in the process of getting that money back.
There was no reference to Business Rescue Practitioners, this in itself is news to the committee. The committee is waiting for the report from Eskom on progress made in retrieving that money.
The committee believes that the new Chief Executive Officer, Mr Andre de Ruyter, should get a briefing from that management, which was led by Mr Obelhozer, as this matter predates him being at Eskom.
In light of the above, the committee decided that Eskom is to appear before the committee with the report to clear the air.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Sfiso Buthelezi, said: “Eskom is very important, with a big responsibility. It is therefore important that this matter is dealt with as soon as possible to allow them (Eskom’s management) to focus on the work at hand.”
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, MR SFISO BUTHELEZI.
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