Watch Pravin Gordhan on Eskom: “The Public is Connecting the Dots!”
Former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan did not hold back today in accusing the Eskom board members of “abusing” the power utility. Speaking in parliament during Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown’s ‘explanation’ on the Brian Molefe reinstatement fiasco (did he retire, resign, take long leave… or maternity leave?!)… Gordhan slated the board. He said: “The public is becoming […]
Former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan did not hold back today in accusing the Eskom board members of “abusing” the power utility.
Speaking in parliament during Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown’s ‘explanation’ on the Brian Molefe reinstatement fiasco (did he retire, resign, take long leave… or maternity leave?!)… Gordhan slated the board.
He said: “The public is becoming increasingly aware that you are abusing state property, and state resources in the name of yourselves and not in the name of the state public. This is about capturing Eskom for the benefit of the few… that’s the reality.”
He said South Africans are connecting the dots and becoming increasingly worried that a significant number of those in government are continuing with their shenanigans without a care for whether the public are aware about what they’re doing, how public resources are going elsewhere, and they don’t care “how many reports the public protector” provides because they have a sense of feeling “protected”.
He then said: “The question is, by whom and at what cost and how will history record your role ultimately in this regard?”
He said the Molefe debacle is not an isolated case and is just part of a pattern. Gordhan also stressed the significance of Eskom to the SA economy and SA employment.
He said the parliamentary committee can not sit by and be co-conspirers.
“If you want to connect the dots, connect all the dots and ask ourselves who did what where, in service of what cause, at the end of the day.”
He then demanded that the Eskom Board be truly transparent and show the board’s documentation – and show exactly WHO instructed the Board to hire Molefe. “Who made what phone call to whom, or which meeting took place where with whom, and as a result which made Molefe hired???
“I don’t think we’ll get a truthful answer,” he said. “But the question needs to be asked nonetheless.”
Minister Brown withdrew her opposition to the first part of the Democratic Alliance’s case to stop Molefe from continuing in the role. Eskom Board Chairman Ben Ngubane refused to answer questions from MPs, on advice from his lawyer.