Ex Eskom Board chair Tsotsi to testify at State Capture Commission

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture will on Tuesday hear evidence of former Eskom board chairperson, Zola Tsotsi.

Tsotsi was implicated in alleged wrongdoing when he was at the helm of the power utility.

Earlier this year, he gave evidence at the commission regarding Eskom’s contracts with the Gupta’s New Age newspapers.

In 2017, Tsotsi told Parliament he was told by former President Jacob Zuma to shed top executives at Eskom, a resolution under former Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown, was allegedly then drafted to implement the directive.

Yesterday, former Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona detailed to the commission how he and three other executives were unfairly suspended in 2015 under the Tsotsi board.

Matona told Justice Raymond Zondo he had a meeting with Zuma after he left Eskom – where Zuma appeared remorseful.

He says, “I recall it was after I had settled with Eskom and the matter had been laid to rest. I got a call and I subsequently went to see the president a few days later and he went on to say what had happened at Eskom had absolutely nothing to do with you. My suspension at Eskom was not a reflection upon me as far as I was concerned that’s what he said to me. What he did say is that I got caught up in a spaghetti, those are the words that he used.”

State Capture Inquiry, 08 September 2020:

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Commission will continue to hear Eskom related evidence from the former Board Chairperson at Eskom: Mr Zola Tsotsi at 9:30 am Tuesday 8 September 2020.#StateCaptureInquiry pic.twitter.com/4zAfR36WEW

— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) September 7, 2020