The Eskom board on Friday announced that it had launched an investigation into its under fire chief operation officer Jan Oberholzer following allegations of corruption and victimization of a whistleblower.
The Eskom board in a statement said the state-owned power producer has engaged the services of an independent senior counsel to investigate the allegations against the COO.
“From the onset, it must be stated categorically that Eskom’s executive management and the board stand firmly against corruption, victimization and abuse of power,” said the board, adding that whistle-blowers are a key instrument in the fight against corruption.
Civil society organisation Corruption Watch and the South African Federation of Trade Unions both wrote to Eskom leveling allegations of impropriety against Oberholzer.
Both formations cited an Eskom employee who has since deposed to an affidavit to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, as having raised the allegations.
The Eskom board added that many of the allegations raised in the letters have not previously been made available to the executive management and the board of Eskom.
“In light of the new allegations as articulated in the Corruption Watch and SAFTU letters, including the alleged abuse of power, the board of Eskom has taken urgent steps to address these allegations in a transparent process following Eskom’s governance principles and disciplinary code,” it said.
