Minister Brown may have lied under oath about documents being destroyed at Eskom

5 February 2018

The DA notes reports today that Eskom has been subpoenaed by the Hawks, in order to force the utility to hand over crucial documents pertaining to the Judicial Commission into State Capture. However, the power utility has today admitted that certain documents, that contain crucial evidence, have been shredded.

Early last year the DA warned the Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown, that Eskom was in the process of destroying key documents and correspondence, when the DA called on the Minister to investigate and confirm these allegations she dodged and avoided her responsibility.

The DA has reason to believe that the Minister avoided telling the truth, perhaps deliberately, when she appeared before the Public Enterprises Committee as well as the Parliamentary Inquiry into State Owned Entities, that Eskom was allegedly destroying key documentation.

The Minister has a responsibility to investigate allegations brought forward by Members of Parliament. If she failed to investigate these warnings, she failed in her duty.

The DA will now explore possible charges of perjury against the Minister, if she was indeed aware of any wrongdoing and kept it quite or lied under oath before Parliament.

The DA also calls on Eskom to identify which documents have been destroyed and to cooperate with the Hawks in identifying whoever is responsible for the destruction of the documents.

The wheels are now finally turning for all those who had a hand in the capture of our government. Whether it was looting from our state coffers or destroying key evidence, the DA will ensure that they all have their day in court.

Issued by Natasha Mazzone, DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, 5 February 2018