An Eskom executive who has been directly accused of masterminding a foiled assassination plot by a former forensics manager has quit the parastatal.
Sunday World has been reliably informed that Chris Baloye, who was implicated in an assassination plot by former forensics manager Dorothy Mmushi, resigned on Thursday.
Baloye was Eskom’s head of forensics and anti-corruption. His resignation comes just one month after his reinstatement from a nine-month suspension.
It is understood that Baloye has been under pressure since Mmushi made public a telephone recording that an alleged hitman had informed her that he had been offered R400 000 by her direct boss to kill her for interfering with dodgy dealings he had with contractors.
Sources inside Eskom told Sunday World Baloye was also facing a string of allegations, some captured in a formal grievance by Mmushi, relating to alleged fraudulent payments he made to a service provider that had been flagged for wrongdoing, using her
log-in details.
At that time, Baloye had suspended Mmushi.
Eskom declined to comment on the circumstances that led to Baloye’s resignation.
“Eskom does not disclose information that is private and confidential to third parties without the necessary consent from the affected employees,” the power utility said.
In April 2023, Calib Cassim, who was then Eskom interim CEO, suspended Baloye after the power utility’s forensic and anti-corruption officials demanded answers from him regarding allegations of maladministration in the department.
“They moved Chris [Baloye] out on an external secondment to do his articles to further his career as an attorney elsewhere, even though such a secondment was not to the benefit of the organisation. This was all done to cool down a volatile
situation that was brewing,” said a source.
Last month, Sunday World reported that Baloye had resumed work following his suspension.
There was an uproar from staff upon Baloye’s return to work, with some believing they would be victimised as they had laid formal grievances against their boss.
“Staff members attempted to raise their concerns through no less than three grievances against Chris. It was during this process of grievances that Cassim decided to be seen as doing something by putting Chris on a precautionary suspension, even though for that period Chris was already out on a secondment and not touching any Eskom work,” said another source.
Baloye declined to comment on the matter.
“It’s not that Eskom has barred me from speaking, so it’s not a Chris thing; it’s a generic thing. I know that you have got to do your job but I am also sure you appreciate that by responding to those questions, I will be in violation of the policies and procedures,” he said.
Mmushi said she had not heard from Eskom, nor did she know whether the police had made any headway since she received the death threats
almost a year ago.
