Brown to launch own full-scale probe into Eskom

Cape Town – Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown will launch a full-scale investigation into Eskom, with the assistance of the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) and a retired judge.

The investigation will have a broad scope and will review all seven reports emanating from previous investigations, including the coal procurement processes and the state capture report by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela last year.

“There have been seven reports on Eskom dating back to 2007 into alleged wrongdoing and impropriety,” Brown said, “and I’d like to have a deep dive into these issues.”

Brown said her department has a memorandum of understanding with the SIU to review these allegations and the retired judge will make recommendations on the remedial action that needs to be taken. “I’ll brief the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) myself on all the recommendations,” Brown said.

During question time, Brown was asked if her intended investigation would be an alternative to the state capture report and why she decided on involving the SIU, which is already inundated with investigations.

“The investigation is not an alternative to the state capture report. It will go much wider than the state capture report,” Brown said. “In my three years as minister I have seen a number of trends. I delayed the investigation last year because someone else was already doing an investigation. But I want the whole coal procurement process looked into.”

She said she approached the SIU to free her from going through the arduous process of putting it all out to tender again.

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