Eskom has placed a senior procurement manager on preliminary suspension following evidence of alleged corruption. The suspension follows a tip-off by a whistle-blower.
The senior manager is alleged to have a bank account with no less than R12 million and it’s believed that these funds were deposited by some Eskom suppliers.
Eskom Spokesperson, Sikhonathi Mantshantsha says, “Eskom can confirm that today it has placed a senior manager in its coal procurement division on preliminary suspension following evidence of corruption. After a preliminary investigation into the said employee, Eskom approached the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for further investigation. The SIU investigation revealed the senior manager to be in control of a bank account with a balance close to R12 million. The bank account has been frozen pending a full investigation and criminal charges and prosecution.”
Eskom places a senior coal procurement manager on suspension following evidence of corruption involving millions pic.twitter.com/AA8XiImAx8
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) May 7, 2021
Eskom wage negotiations
Meanwhile, the crucial Eskom wage negotiations are teetering on the brink of collapse. The talks have been suspended after unions walked out.
The unions are insisting that Eskom Chief Executive Officer Andre De Ruyter must come and address them. Eskom, on the other hand, is resisting the move saying the CEO is not part of the company’s negotiating team.
A delegation of top leaders from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and Solidarity met with Eskom Board Chairperson, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, on Thursday morning, to discuss a way out of the impasse.
The negotiations have failed to get off the ground since they began two days ago.
Eskom wage negotiations teetering on the brink of collapse:
