Further MP grilling for Eskom

ESKOM faces another grilling in Parliament tomorrow over its coal contracts with the Guptas.

Standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) chair Themba Godi confirmed yesterday they were looking at issues of compliance regarding the contracts. Scopa is Parliament’s finance watchdog.

The appearance of Eskom comes after the National Treasury tabled a report, by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), to Scopa on irregularities worth billions of rand in the coal contracts.

This is the second successive week that the power utility faces Parliament after it was severely criticised by the portfolio committee on public enterprises on the reappointment of Brian Molefe as chief executive. The committee said it was unhappy with answers given by Eskom and decided to launch an inquiry. It is expected to begin in the next few weeks.

Godi said they would focus on issues of compliance relating to the PwC report when Eskom appears tomorrow.

MPs were left fuming two weeks ago when they heard that Eskom did not follow procedures in the awarding of the coal contracts to the Guptas.

Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown has also launched her own investigation into Eskom’s procurement process. The probe will be led by the Special Investigating Unit and will examine seven reports on Eskom.

President Jacob Zuma has set up a committee, chaired by Minister of Justice Michael Masutha, to look into Molefe’s reappointment.

The DA and EFF have challenged it as well, and their case will be heard on June 5 in the high court in Pretoria.