EFF calls for the immediate removal of corrupt Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer
14 July 2020
The Economic Freedom Fighters calls for the immediate removal of corrupt Eskom COO Jan Oberlhozer for using the power utility to enrich himself, his businesses and relatives. We have called for Oberholzer's removal since damning allegations against him regarding nepotism, victimisation of non-compliant employees and conflict of interest arose in March 2020. The EFF is vindicated now that the farce report that cleared him is being subjected to public scrutiny.
Oberholzer, a shareholder of Steffanutti Stocks firm which defrauded Eskom of a sum of up to R2 billion, is part of a syndicate that loots Eskom for his personal benefit and those associated with him. Further to the reports that he was part of transactional engagements between his company Steffanutti Stocks and Eskom as the COO on at least three occasions, Oberholzer also stands accused of operating against the financial interests of Eskom by procuring the services of labour broker Black and Veatch, paying them an obscene amount which increased from R2.4 billion to R14 billion since 2008.
Oberholzer then victimised the whistle-blower in the matter, which reveals how sinister and deliberate his corruption is and how he will go to great lengths to suppress transparency and accountability.
Oberlhozer has also been found to have pressurised an employee to find a job for his brother-in-law, Gregory Jacobs, and is known to use foul language against employees who do not comply with his corrupt instructions. Notably, he has moved a whistle-blower to a training job against his will because of his shenanigans being exposed and reported.
No action has been taken against Oberlhozer for this clear and flagrant disregard of Eskom policy and due process. Rather, he has been publicly defended by Eskom leadership. This promotes the perception in society that whites are never taken to account for any of their crimes, and that Oberlhozer is a beneficiary of this white privilege. There is no other plausible explanation of why the Eskom board has been hell-bent on defending Oberlhozer.
We reiterate our call for a legitimate criminal process to be instituted against Jan Oberholzer and all those associated with him in defrauding and compromising Eskom. Oberholzer is a lackey of Pravin Gordhan, and together they are the champions of the corrupt New Dawn agenda that seeks to collapse Eskom and sell it to the highest bidder.
Oberrholzer's continued tenure at Eskom is a risk to the national asset and public finances, and any effort to protect him is to defend corruption and participate in a deliberate collapse of the power utility.
The EFF calls for his immediate removal and should Jan Oberholzer not be removed as Eskom COO immediately; the EFF will occupy the Eskom offices and rescue them from being used by criminals who are working against the light.
Issued by Vuyani Pambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 14 July 2020
