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Letter of suspension for key witness in Eskom disciplinary case

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Abram MasangoPHOTO:
Abram MasangoPHOTO:

A senior Eskom executive, who is a key witness in the disciplinary hearing against former acting chief executive Matshela Koko, has allegedly been served with a letter of intention to suspend him.

City Press understands that the group executive for group capital, Abram Masango, was supposed to have given reasons why his suspension should not go ahead to acting group chief executive, Sean Maritz, by last night.

Masango’s charges have not been specified, but he is accused of undeclared conflict of interest and general corruption.

Eskom’s spokesperson, Khulu Phasiwe, did not respond to questions City Press sent him yesterday morning.

“I will check my email and respond,” Phasiwe said.

A source within Eskom’s management said Masango was a key witness in the ongoing disciplinary hearing against Koko because he was the one who blew the whistle to the Eskom board.

The source also said that Koko had tried to force Masango to go study abroad because he saw him as a threat. Masango was among the senior executives who could have been appointed to the position left by Brian Molefe last November when he was implicated in former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s state capture report.

“Masango is targeted in order to cast aspersion on his character and collapse the disciplinary hearing against Koko,” the source said.

Masango declined to comment. “I’m not authorised to speak to the media,” he said.

Koko faces charges relating to nepotism and conflict of interest. He allegedly failed to declare, accurately and in a timely manner, that his 26-year-old stepdaughter Koketso Choma’s company was doing business with Eskom Generation when Koko was head of the unit.

Choma’s company, Impulse International, allegedly received contracts worth more than R1 billion from Eskom Generation.

Koko is also accused of undermining or usurping the powers of other executives when he was appointed group chief executive.

Among other issues, Koko allegedly demanded the removal of Arup Tata project manager, Gobal Kambi, from the Kusile power station.

He also allegedly demanded the removal of senior manager for contract management, Frans Hlaukudi, from the power station.

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