Former Kusile Power Station project manager, Abram Masango has told the State Capture Commission in Johannesburg that then Eskom executive Matshela Koko informed him about the impending suspension of four Eskom executives in 2015 before the decision was announced by the board.
Masango says in March 2015 Koko arranged for him to meet with Gupta associate Salim Essa at Melrose Arch where he was informed of the upcoming suspensions.
Other witnesses have told the commission that the instruction to conduct an inquiry at Eskom and suspend executives came directly from then-President Jacob Zuma. Masango details his meeting with Koko.
“I did ask the question to say why four executives? And I went further to say you know that is going to create chaos for Eskom. It can’t be done, what is the reason. He never gave me the reason instead he carried on with the discussion. He then addressed Salim Essa and say Abram Masango has got the capability to act as Group Chief Executive.”
See live proceedings below:
In September, Eskom’s former company Secretary and Legal Head Suzanne Daniels told the State Capture Commission that she was offered R800 million by Gupta associate, Salim Essa, to reinstate Matshela Koko as the power utility’s acting CEO.
She said she declined the offer.
Daniels also described a meeting attended by President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane Zuma, former Minister of Energy Ben Martins, and Ajay Gupta. She says at the meeting Ajay Gupta wanted to know how former Eskom CEO Ben Molefe’s pension legal woes would be sorted out.
Suzanne Daniels gives testimony at the State Capture Commission:
