Eskom to take action against employees found to be involved in corruption

Eskom says it will ensure that action is taken against employees, proven to have been involved in corruption and maladministration, this as the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigates over 5000 employees at the power utility.

The SIU updated Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts on its investigations into alleged corruption into coal, diesel and building contracts involving billions of rands.

Eskom’s Spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha says, “Eskom has, over the past two years, made more than 100 cases with SAPS of a criminal nature – both against our own employees and some outsiders such as suppliers. We await criminal prosecutions in those matters, but Eskom is doing what it can internally to execute disciplinary processes against people, where there is evidence, and the lifestyle audits have helped Eskom get rid of some of the undesired people in its workforce.”

Workers at ESKOM embark on a planned protest

Trade unions call for internal audit at Eskom

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is calling for an internal audit at Eskom, saying it believes corruption is continuing at the power utility’s management level. Eskom recently announced a loss of R21 billion 2018/19; the largest-ever corporate loss in South Africa.

NUM, NUMSA and Solidarity have reiterated their call for the government to terminate Eskom’s contracts with independent power producers who would supply renewable energy to the grid, saying the IPPs pricing models are unsustainable.

NUM President, Joseph Montisetse, says Eskom cannot be financially sustainable until corruption is rooted out.

“We are against pricing models. We are saying they must stay outside Eskom because they are eating on the fiscus of Eskom. The R21 billion; if it was not the case of the contracts with IPPs, Eskom would not lose such money. Also, there must be an audit of how Eskom is selling its electricity to bigger companies. We believe there is corruption that is taking place; energy is being sold at lower prices and the international consultants, according to a whistle-blower, they are paid higher prices compared to local consultants, but they are doing the same jobs. So we need an audit on that because the government can pour in money to this entity, but if we are not cleaning the corruption; we will never go anywhere.

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