AfriBusiness launches PAIA application against Eskom 

12 April 2017

The business rights watchdog AfriBusiness yesterday launched an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000) (PAIA) against Eskom to ascertain what amount of the R2 billion fine imposed on Optimum Coal Mine was paid by Tegeta Exploration & Resources (partly owned by the controversial Gupta family).

It has come to AfriBusiness’s attention that a settlement was reached by Eskom and Optimum Coal Mine and that an agreed upon amount of the fine was paid by Tegeta Exploration & Resources as reported by Paul Burkhardt of Bloomberg News on the financial news website Fin24.

The PAIA application is necessary to determine what exactly transpired and, as Eskom is a state-owned company, it cannot deny the divulgence of information that is of interest to the public.

“Keeping the rife corruption in some state sectors and especially state-owned entities in mind, it is of paramount importance that there should be transparency in all sectors,” says Charles Castle, Manager at AfriBusiness.

Issued by Charles Castle, Manager, AfriBusiness, 12 April 2017