Cape Town - Days before former Eskom chief executive André de Ruyter was expected to elaborate on his corruption statements at the power utility, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan maintained that De Ruyter had a duty to report corruption to the Hawks.
In a reply to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Omphile Maotwe, Gordhan said there were initiatives in Eskom after the state capture period to identify corrupt individuals, contracts and payments.
“A number of individuals and companies have been charged, dismissed or required to pay back money that was earned through illegal or improper means.
“Among these are ABB, McKinsey and others. The above is the result of work by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI and Eskom’s own investigations,” he said.
Maotwe wanted to know whether, after De Ruyter claimed that he had informed Gordhan about criminal activities by a senior government official in relation to Eskom’s coal contracts, he took steps to ensure that the former executive reported it.
Gordhan said: “I am advised that Mr de Ruyter is a ‘person who holds a position of authority’ as the chief executive of Eskom.
Gordhan said: “I am advised that Mr de Ruyter is a ‘person who holds a position of authority’ as the chief executive of Eskom and therefore bears a duty to report corrupt transactions to the DPCI in terms of that section; and I am excluded from the definition of such persons in section 34(4) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.”
He said when De Ruyter advised him of further investigations, he understood that law enforcement, specifically the Hawks, was involved in the investigation.
“I have no additional knowledge or evidence of ‘criminal activities by a senior government official in relation to Eskom coal contracts’ referred to in the question,” Gordhan said.
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa said he was not briefed about the identities of people who were allegedly involved in cartels at Eskom.
On Wednesday, De Ruyter is due to appear virtually before the standing committee on public accounts in Parliament to elaborate on his allegations after ANC MP Bheki Hadebe asked that he be urgently invited.
Cape Times