Cape Town - Power utility Eskom came in for criticism in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) on Tuesday for not sending a formal apology from its CEO André de Ruyter.
Neither Public Enterprises Minister Pravin nor his deputy Phumulo Masualle were in attendance at the long-scheduled meeting to consider deviations and expansions of contracts Eskom submitted to the National Treasury.
Scopa chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa noted that he had received a list of delegations from the department and Eskom.
He said Gordhan was attending a social compact meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa and Masualle as well as Eskom chairperson Malegapuru Makgoba and chief financial officer Calib Cassim who were to lead the department and the entity’s delegations.
Hlengwa said he did not see De Ruyter.
Addressing the committee, Makgoba said De Ruyter was abroad on business.
Hlengwa expressed his unhappiness that Gordhan was not in attendance along with De Ruyter while he was unsure if Masualle had logged in the virtual meeting.
“Things are always thrown at us at the last minute. I don’t know how, in fact, what more or what else one is expected to say to Eskom,” he said.
ANC MP Sisisi Tolashe expressed concern that the CEO was not at the meeting when they were to deal with matters from last year.
“We parted ways because there were answers that were not satisfactory. Today, we are informed that the CEO is not here,” she said.
Tolashe said she was feeling that they were not being taken seriously by Eskom.
“We are seriously being disrespected because this meeting was known from last year,” she said.
Tolashe then asked that Scopa deal with the fact that the CEO was not at the meeting.
“We want the accounting officer to come and account.”
But Hlengwa told the meeting that he had received a list of attendees via email in the morning at 9.24am.
“I have not received the apology of the CEO suffice to what the chair of the board has said in his opening remarks,” he said.
Tolashe said Makgoba should take responsibility as overall oversee of Eskom.
“I know and accept that we are under pressure to deal with these matters.
It must be registered here and now that Eskom does not take Parliament seriously.” She said as much they were in a hurry to conclude matters, they should note the disrespect that was being demonstrated.
“Maybe with time we will get to know the reasons. If we can’t get the reason, we must find ways to make the minister tell us whether we are the right people to deal with them,” Tolashe said.
DA MP Benedicta van Minnen said the correspondence the committee received on Friday had a letter attached to their presentation noting that De Ruyter would not be in attendance due to international travel.
“The fact is that the entire committee was informed on Friday morning on this matter,” Van Minnen said.
But Hlengwa said he received no correspondence to him or the committee about the apology of the CEO.
“I don’t have it. Any correspondence or things they write between themselves are their own things,” he said.
Hlengwa said it was basic professional courtesy 101 to send formal letters to departments, entities, persons of office and authority.
“The bottom line is Eskom and DPE need to do better,'' he said.
Makgoba apologised to the committee for what happened, but he claimed to have followed protocol in the matter.
“I have written to the minister of DPE indicating the apology that has been recorded somewhere.
“I have followed protocol I have been advised in order to be honourable in dealing with this committee and showing respect,” he said.
Makgoba insisted that a letter was sent to Gordhan long before the meeting.
“How it has not got to this committee, it is something I can’t account for at the moment,” he said.
Political Bureau