Scopa’s handling of Mavuso blasted
Oversight toothless, in the gutter – Godi
STANDING committee on public accounts (Scopa) chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa has come under fire for the manner in which he dealt with Eskom board member Busisiwe Mavuso during a parliamentary inquiry into Eskom.
Mavuso was asked to leave a Scopa meeting on Friday after a heated exchange with Hlengwa. Hlengwa accused Mavuso of “displaying theatrics” when she was asked about the problems at Eskom. She had blamed the ANC for the rolling black outs and problems at Eskom, but Hlengwa described her behaviour as “politics of the gutter”.
Scopa had visited several Eskom power stations as part of oversight duties. Mavuso had made it clear that the utility’s board would not take the fall for problems caused by the ANC, with Mavuso then held in contempt of Parliament.
Former Scopa chairperson Themba Godi said Hlengwa’s mishandling of Mavuso’s testimony denied the country of understanding the political dynamics that affect the everyday running of Eskom.
“The country has been denied an opportunity to be informed about the content and basis of the statement she made about the ANC’s interference in the challenges at Eskom. She was saying ‘the management and the board cannot be the fall guy at Eskom’.
“There is a general problem with oversight and its quality and consistency,” Godi said. He said the problems at Eskom had worsened and political divisions had played a major role. He said he found it ironic that the Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan was not being held to account on Eskom.
“The Minister of Public Enterprises chooses when to come (to Parliament) and when not to come when summoned. He looks irritated when it comes to accounting,” Godi remarked.
Godi, who served a glorious term as Scopa chairperson, said it had become apparent that the parliamentary oversight committee had “lost its teeth”.
There were other examples where Scopa had failed to hold politicians to account, especially in the leaked ANC audios that implicated President Cyril Ramaphosa in wrongdoing.
“Parliamentary oversight needs a lot of improved oversight. This administration is having it easy,” Godi said.