- Former president Jacob Zuma claimed that Eskom was being surrendered to unnamed international private interests.
- The Zondo Commission found Zuma was a ‘critical player’ in the Gupta’s plan to capture Eskom, playing a hand in the suspensions of executives.
- Zuma also took a dig at President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing him of corruption and treason over the Phala Phala incident, which is being investigated.
Former president Jacob Zuma – who was called a “critical player” by the Zondo Commission in the Gupta’s plan to capture Eskom – claimed that the utility was being surrendered to international commercial interests.
In a briefing organised by his foundation, Zuma addressed the media in Sandton on Saturday. His 15-month sentence for contempt expired earlier this month.
“As a developmental state, we had the key objective of bringing electricity to every village and every home through Eskom. Eskom is now being surrendered to international commercial interest, for them to profit from our people’s need for electricity.
“In other words, those who are in charge of the country are taking the property of the country, doing business for themselves, perhaps with their friends, wherever they are,” said Zuma.
In a report released in April, the State Capture Inquiry found that Zuma helped the Gupta family capture the power utility. The report said that the Gupta family orchestrated the sudden suspension of Eskom’s top leadership in 2015, so that their “associates” – Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh – could be parachuted into strategic positions at the power utility.
Four senior executives were also suspended by Eskom’s board on 12 March 2015.
The power utility’s CEO Tshediso Matona, its Finance Director Tsholofelo Molefe, Group Capital Executive Dan Marokane and Technology and Commercial Executive, Matshela Koko, were ostensibly placed on suspension so that a hastily-arranged probe into the power utility could take place without any potential hindrance.
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The report found that the suspensions were organised by the Guptas, “their associates” and Zuma.
“The suspension of these executives was a crucial step to pave the way for the capture of Eskom by the Guptas,” the report stated.
“The aim of the suspension of the executives was, except with regard to one executive, namely Mr [Matshela] Koko, to remove persons who occupied certain strategic positions at Eskom who the Guptas did not think would co-operate with them in their agenda to capture Eskom.”
While all four officials were later cleared of wrongdoing, only Koko returned to Eskom. The report found that the Guptas intended for Koko to return to Eskom and to “pretend” the suspension took him by surprise.
Koko has previously denied any wrongdoing.
After the senior executives were suspended, Molefe and Singh joined the power utility.
The report found that Zuma, whose name is mentioned over 150 times in the section of the report dealing with Eskom, interfered in the running of the affairs of the power utility’s board by ordering that a crucial meeting be postponed.
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The report said: “President Zuma’s interference in the affairs of the Board marked the beginning of the implementation of the Gupta’s plan to capture Eskom and President Zuma was a critical player in that plan. After the postponement of the board meeting scheduled for 26 February 2015, a series of meetings aimed at facilitating the capture of Eskom by the Guptas were held.”
On Saturday, Zuma claimed that his government ended load shedding in 2015 until he left office in 2018.
“This load shedding was stopped for three years in the time of professionals such as Mr Brian Molefe, and Matshela Koko. Load shedding started immediately after certain agreements were concluded with independent power producers and has never stopped since then. Why does the correct leadership fail to get a handle on the issues of Eskom?” Zuma asked.
While load shedding has worsened since 2018, data from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research shows that load shedding took place before, during, and after Zuma’s time as president.
He also took aim at President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying he was guilty of corruption.
“I often wonder what the situation would have been if I was the one accused of having millions of dollars hidden under mattresses. I wonder what would have happened if that was an allegation out of Nkandla. Let us not beat about the bush about the neglect of constitutional duty that comes with abusing the office of the president to conduct private business,” he said.
Zuma continued: “Suffice to say that your president has committed treason. No President should conduct private business while in office. Our country’s problems are too big for a president who is busy hustling on the side.”
An independent panel will determine whether Ramaphosa has a prima facie case to answer with regard to allegations of money laundering on his Phala Phala game farm.
Last month, Ramaphosa denied the allegation of money laundering, reiterating the money was the proceeds of game farming.
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