What’s going on at Eskom?

DOES Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown actually know what is happening at Eskom? If she does, isn’t it time she took us, the public, into her confidence – and let us know too?

In recent months, South Africa’s electricity supplier has lurched from what can only be described as one scandal to the next.

And yet, shortly after Brown started in this portfolio, the country applauded what appeared to have been an inspired decision to appoint Brian Molefe as the chief executive of Eskom.

Molefe was widely credited for stabilising the supply of electricity to South African homes and businesses, following a deeply unhappy period of load shedding. And then things started turning sour. It came as a shock when Molefe was fingered in then public protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report for being involved in what appeared to be an inappropriate relationship with the Gupta brothers.

This included the sanctioning by Eskom of a pre-payment of R660 million to a Gupta-owned start-up company.

Although a tearful Molefe resigned shortly after the release of the public protector’s report, he vehemently denied he had done anything wrong. But he was never far from controversy. Shortly afterwards, he was sworn in as an ANC MP amid strong rumours that he was President Jacob Zuma’s choice to replace the then finance minister, Pravin Gordhan. But that did not happen. And while Molefe was warming the benches of Parliament, Eskom continued to court controversy.

Matshela Koko, who took over as chief executive from Molefe, was accused of channelling tender contracts worth millions of rand to his stepdaughter’s company.

But even this was overshadowed by the news of Eskom wanting to pay Molefe R30m for 18 months’ service to the power utility. This was blocked by Brown.

And then, to the deep anger of political parties and the public, it was announced that Molefe would be returning to Eskom.

Brown’s explanation was that either Molefe returned to Eskom – or he would walk away with R30m for under two years’ work. This is not good enough. Molefe resigned from Eskom – and his resignation was accepted.

In the light of the public protector’s report, this is where the matter should have rested.