National Security Advisor to the President, Dr Sydney Mufamadi says he was not handed a report about large-scale fraud and corruption at Eskom.
The utility’s former CEO Andre de Ruyter made explosive allegations of corruption, sabotage and criminal cartels operating at Eskom in a TV interview.
He also said he had briefed Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, and Mufamadi on these findings from a private intelligence report.
Mufamadi is appearing before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts, which has been having several meetings to get to the bottom of the allegations.
He says he did not brief President Cyril Ramaphosa on the discussions that took place in the meeting with De Ruyter.
“If there was hope, I would take [the] report to [the] President. Such was not expressed to me. The nature of sharing of [the] report was not the handing over of [the] actual report. Mr De Ruyter was telling us about it, my sense [is that] it was a synoptic presentation of the report.”
Mufamadi declines to mention the names of politicians named by de Ruyter.
“I can’t remember various designations used, on one hand, de Ruyter says high ranking minister, political office bearer. I can at least say yes, there was mention of names. But I am not going to get your hopes up, I am not prepared to mention those names.”
Livestream: Parliamentary Committee meeting with national security advisor on Eskom allegations:
On Wednesday, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts deliberated on whether to launch an investigation into claims of systemic corruption and sabotage at Eskom levelled by former CEO André de Ruyter.
SCOPA says it will invite at least six other people to unearth the facts around de Ruyter’s allegations, before deciding whether a full inquiry is necessary.
SCOPA Chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa says, “Heard proposal for AG, and DG in Presidency and for De Ruyter to come back and also add the former board member of Eskom, Ms Mavuso. We have a list of six and the security advisor is appearing before us on Friday and he may site other people.”
