Eskom’s group head of capital and whistleblower Abram Masango has resigned following the power utility’s decision to suspend him.
Eskom’s spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe said this morning that Masango’s suspension was “pending an investigation into various allegations of impropriety against him relating to the Kusile Power Station build project”.
Phasiwe said that, although Eskom’s management recognised his rights to be presumed innocent, given the serious nature of the allegations made against him, and seniority of his position in Eskom, the decision was made to place him on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation.
However, Masango’s lawyer Nicqui Galaktiou said her client resigned because of continuous victimisation and threats.
Eskom suspended Masango in November last year and charged him with misconduct in relation to charges that stemmed from a draft forensic report. Masango was subjected to a disciplinary hearing but an independent chairperson, Advocate Tim Bruinders, cleared him of all charges in April.
“The reasons behind Masango’s resignation were continuous harassment, threats and victimisation which he has had to endure over the last year since he was first suspended, culminating in another notice of suspension demonstrating Eskom’s desperation to remove him from the organisation no matter what. His disciplinary hearing in April 2018 confirmed that the charges were vexatious, spurious and unfounded and resulted in him being exonerated from all the charges by Bruinders.”
Masango, she said, was a victim of power struggles at Eskom.
“Masango has yet again been a victim of the power struggle and ulterior motives within Eskom and its key role-players. Eskom failed dismally in identifying any allegations of substance against Masango but has nonetheless continued levelling allegations of impropriety which are unsubstantiated and are denied outright by Masango,” Galaktiou said.
Masango was “saddened and disappointed” by the ulterior motives that still drive senior employees who continue to victimise and harass him in pursuit of their own hidden agendas, Galaktiou said.
Masango has worked for Eskom for more than 20 years.
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