The Commission of Inquiry into allegations of State Capture will continue on Tuesday morning – there will be no sitting on Monday.
Last week Friday, former Eskom Board Chair, Ben Ngubane testified that he never interacted with Gupta-linked business associate, Salim Essa, while he was still at the helm of the power utility.
The State Capture Commission of Inquiry investigators drew several private emails between Ngubane and a businessman. Ngubane refuted the Commission’s claims that the emails were from a businessman.
He found himself at the centre of private email correspondence trying to influence terms of the contracts at the power utility.
Ngubane told the Commission that the private emails were from the former Director-General at the Department of Public Enterprises Richard Seleke.
Inquiry evidence leader Pule Seleka, said it was strange for the director-general to use his private email when communicating in his official capacity.
Ngubane also indicated that he occasionally used his private email to do official work-related to Eskom.
“Dr. Ngubane did you have Eskom private email when you were at Eskom? “I did,” Ngubane replied.
“Is there a reason why the communication here appears to be from your private email as opposed to your Eskom email?”
“I used to plug my computer which converted my private emails to Eskom. So, I was not concerned.”
In the video below, Ngubane testifies before the Commission:
Meanwhile, on Thursday, former board member, Venete Klein in her evidence gave reasons that justified why the board paid millions of rands to sack Eskom executives who were suspended in 2015.
Earlier this week, former Eskom board chair, Zola Tsotsi concluded his evidence and implicated Ngubane and Klein for wrongdoing at the power Utility.
Totsi claimed board members turned against him.
Klein has denied allegations levelled against her but told the commission they could have handled some of the decisions taken by board members better.
Eskom mutually parted ways with three Eskom executives and paid close to R30 million in total for their exit.
Former CEO Tshediso Matona received R6-million exit settlement, while former executive for Eskom Group Capital Dan Marokane received close to R18-million.
Klein believes the exits were justified, given that they had not performed their duties as the board had expected.
Klein says Eskom received a second downgrade after the firing of the executives.
“Chairperson once again I’m speaking for myself, a company with a turnover of R375-million, with a cost to run of 30-million per day. I don’t know how you conclude that this, sorry chairman, I will have to disagree R18-million. I’m not raising anything from the point that you raise earlier. If they want to resign let them resign and I’m not trivialising the report. So, R18-million for a company with R375-million turnover per annum, those are not comparative.”
Tsotsi’s testimony at the Commission:
Ngubane continues testimony at State Capture Inquiry on Friday:
