We won’t be silent about Eskom’s atrocities

SEEMINGLY, whenever Eskom’s rot is brought out into the public domain causing a stench, only then does there appear to be power cuts aimed at diffusing the odour.

On July 7, the power utility published information related to overpayments amounting to R4 billion. To save face, Eskom claims that “several investigations through law enforcement agencies are ongoing”. That same night, Eskom announced “load rotation”.

All claims that the overpayments were to Gupta-linked Tegeta was rubbished by the public enterprises minister. Actually, some overpayments went to a company linked to Eskom’s chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer, who holds shares in Stefanutti Stocks.

A report sent to Parliament on Monday revealed Stefanutti received almost R1bn in overpayment.

Former Eskom employees, Frans Hlakudi, a contracts manager, and Abram Masango, a group executive, were also allegedly implicated in benefiting from the overpayments, to the tune of R75 million and R613m, respectively.

Another ex-executive, Matshela Koko, allegedly awarded an irregular contract to a company, ABB SA, which received an estimated R1bn.

Koko’s stepdaughter’s company, Impulse International, is listed as a beneficiary of the overpayments.

Another company, Tenova, was implicated with links to an Eskom project director, employer representative, a senior contracts manager and two contracts managers, the latter both resigned with immediate effect in the face of disciplinary action.

Oberholzer has the audacity and arrogance to reveal to Parliament’s standing committee on appropriations that the overpayments were an “administrative error”.

How can R4bn paid into several smaller chunks, over varied time periods, to different companies be an administrative error?

Errors occur once-off. Not continuously and mysteriously to companies linked to Eskom insiders.

Surely there are audit checks and different signatories to prevent “administrative errors”.

The rot at Eskom is far greater than any sober South African mind can possibly comprehend.

Hence the rolling blackouts when such is revealed to blind us as Eskom’s gravy train rapes its finances. Unbundling Eskom will only allow for corruption to be done on a smaller-scale than the current wholesale manner.

We may be masked, but as taxpaying South Africans we will not be silent at Eskom’s atrocities against us. | THANDO DLOMO Kwamashu