Cape Town - Former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter was released from his employment before serving his notice because he had brought the power utility into disrepute earlier this year.
This was the word from Eskom board chairperson Mpho Makwana, when he briefed the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on Wednesday.
The board appeared before the committee to shed light on issues De Ruyter raised in his explosive interview with private broadcaster eNCA in February.
Makwana said after that interview, the board convened a special meeting to discuss the implications of the content and utterances that De Ruyter made.
“At the commencement of the board meeting, Mr de Ruyter was afforded the opportunity to provide his perspective and he acknowledged that the interview had indeed taken place,” he said.
He said upon his recusal from the board meeting, the board deliberated on the matter.
“The board was of the view that some of the utterances he made brought the company into disrepute and therefore resolved to agree to the variation of his notice period to 28 February 2023.
“The board further resolved to release him forthwith from the obligation to serve the remainder of his notice period, with immediate effect,” Makwana said.
According to Makwana, following the release of the State Capture report last year, the power utility created its own internal task team on state capture.
Eskom and the Special Investigative Unit had recovered more than R2 billion of funds unlawfully paid out to institutions such as Deloitte, McKinsey, ABB and Meagra Transport CC.
Makwana said the new board was informed in detail what was previously done around issues of oversight on the state capture task team and a report was even submitted to the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).
“There have since been periodic updates provided to the DPE, the latest of which was provided during October 2022 and submitted, via the DPE, to the Office of the State President,” he said.
The report entailed what the broad knew about any illegal allegations that had been made.
“A good number of allegations tabled misled the public as if there were new developments that had been shared firstly with the board. That was not the case.
“Secondly, it would have misled the public indicating there was no action taken internally by Eskom board and all concerned,” Makwana said.
He also said a lot of disciplinary proceedings have taken place and former executives were arrested and appeared in court in relation to the allegations.
He said there was ongoing work taking place by Eskom and by various professional bodies, including CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission) to render board members as delinquent directors.
Makwana stated that the board had asked the entity’s internal task team on state capture to look further into whether there were any other matters the board may not be aware of that could not be cited in various documents.
“The board decided it is important, in keeping with exercising fiduciary duties that an independent legal panel be appointed that could revisit everything that has been done to date, both by internal state capture task team, and any other investigations Eskom would have done internally and look at anything the board should be doing in line in exercising fiduciary duties and responsibilities,” he said.
He said the appointment of the independent panel was going through the normal procurement led by the head of legal services.
Cape Times