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Fin24 reports that according to Eskom CEO André De Ruyter, some of the state-owned power utility’s employees have avoided disciplinary processes with "tactical" resignations.
De Ruyter and other Eskom officials on Tuesday briefed the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) about some of the measures being taken to clamp down on irregular expenditure, as well as its consequence management plans. But members of the committee also grilled Eskom over an apparent lack of record keeping as well as "vague" consequence management at the entity. Asked about whether employees had been brought to book for wrongdoing, particularly related to condoning R9.5 billion in irregular expenditure, De Ruyter said that Eskom was subject to the labour laws of SA and could not summarily dismiss employees, except in "highly unique" circumstances. Eskom has to follow a disciplinary process, depending on the severity of the offence. That could include a suspension for the duration of an investigation and a subsequent disciplinary process. De Ruyter added that Eskom had started keeping a register of dismissed employees to avoid them returning to the organisation as external contractors or being re-employed. Asked whether Eskom's register included individuals who had resigned before disciplinary actions had taken place, De Ruyter said that Eskom did not do that as it would prejudice the rights of individuals, especially if there were no findings against them. He noted that in instances where Eskom had not run processes in terms of dismissing employees, the utility could potentially pursue civil cases against them. Over the past three years, Eskom has referred 82 cases to the SA Police Service, and nine have been closed.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lameez Omarjee at Fin24 (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page