BL Premium writes that Eskom’s chief procurement officer, Solly Tshitangano, who has accused CEO André de Ruyter of racism, could be in the firing line himself should the probe that he has called for finds that his claims have no substance.

The Eskom board of directors has appointed advocate Ishmael Semenya to inquire into a complaint made by Tshitangano against De Ruyter in which the latter is accused of having made five racially motivated appointments and for favouring white suppliers over black ones. However, Semenya has been asked not only to determine De Ruyter’s guilt or innocence but to make recommendations for any action that needs to be taken against “any specific individuals” in connection with the matters probed. Should the claims be debunked by De Ruyter — he has replied to all Tshitangano’s allegations in a detailed affidavit — Semenya may consider whether Eskom has been intentionally misled by Tshitangano. Tshitangano, who has been suspended, is also facing a disciplinary inquiry for non-performance, which the Eskom board has insisted must go ahead next week. While there has been tension between De Ruyter and Tshitangano since De Ruyter took a special interest in procurement after he took up his position more than a year ago, their relationship deteriorated sharply when De Ruyter took steps to suspend him in February on the grounds of poor performance. Tshitangano then wrote to the director-general of the department of public enterprises and parliament’s standing committee on public accounts asking for their intervention and detailing allegations of wrongdoing by De Ruyter.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at BusinessLive (paywall access only)

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page