ANCYL calls for Eskom acting CEO to step down

THE ANC Youth League in the eThekwini region has called on Eskom acting chief executive officer Matshela Koko to step down from the position after reports that his stepdaughter’s company had benefited from contracts worth more than R1 billion from the state power utility.

The league issued a statement yesterday in reaction to a Sunday Times report that Koko’s daughter Koketso Choma, who graduated three years ago, had since last year been working as a director of Impulse International.

The report revealed that the company had been awarded eight contracts by Eskom before Koko was appointed acting chief executive.

Koko claimed to have not been aware of his stepdaughter’s position at Impulse.

Koko was reported to have instructed Choma to resign from the company after finding out that there may have been a conflict of interest.

ANCYL secretary in eThekwini, Thinta Cibane, expressed shock at “possible tender irregularities which include acting chief executive Matshela Koko and his stepchild”.

Cibane said it was impossible for Koko not to have known that Choma was working for the company that benefited from contracts with Eskom while they lived under the same roof.

“Mr Matshela expects society to believe that he did not know his daughter was involved in a company that does business with his division at Eskom. This proposition, although possible, is highly unlikely,” he said.

Cibane said Koko should step aside to allow an investigation to be conducted into the matter “given the seriousness of the allegations levelled against him”.

“The youth league will not sit by and defend any wrongdoing.

“In the event that the inves- tigation clears him, he will be allowed to return to his position with integrity restored to him and the institution,” said Cibane.

The DA has also indicated that it would refer the matter to Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane for investigation.

Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said the board would have to decide if Koko should step down, as the board had appointed him.

“The minister for public enterprises (Lynne Brown) said yesterday that there should be an investigation, which should give her feedback within 90 days. There is going to be that investigation,” said Phasiwe.