Brown defends Eskom inquiry

FORMER Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown has defended her decision to push for an inquiry into Eskom’s affairs in 2015, which ultimately led to the suspension of the power utility’s key executives.

Brown concluded her evidence at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture yesterday. This was after she had faced three days of tough questioning over corruption allegations that plagued Eskom under her watch as minister.

In early 2015, Eskom’s board decided to institute an inquiry into its affairs. At the time, Eskom struggled with load shedding and delays at its Kusile and Medupi power stations.

Brown said she recommended an inquiry into Eskom’s then Board because the utility had struggled and solutions were needed to help turn it around.

Commission evidence leader Advocate Pule Seleka questioned Brown about the testimony of three executives who were suspended because of the inquiry.

They were suspended in March 2015, but later left the company with hefty exit payouts.

Dan Marokane, former Eskom head of group capital, testified that he had been in his position for only a few months before he was unceremoniously suspended.

His suspension made no sense because the issues affecting Eskom did not occur under his watch, and he was in the process of implementing critical changes that would help the entity turn the corner, Marokane had said.

Former Eskom chief executive Tshediso Matona had made similar remarks about his suspension.

Brown, however, insisted that she never motivated for the axing of the executive.

She said the board could have decided not to institute the inquiry.

“I did not make the decision to suspend four executives. I attended an informal meeting and I told them what my problems were. Medupi and Kusile were supposed to start in 2017 with R100 billion in costs. I wanted the inquiry because of the bill programme question, whether the executives remained for three months or not. It was not a firing. It was three months’ stepping aside.”

Brown said Eskom was under severe strain and she was under pressure.