Eskom said on Wednesday it was suing the Democratic Alliance for defamation for making allegations about the findings of the Dentons report, including that it implicated acting CEO Matshela Koko in corruption.
“Eskom has lodged papers in the High Court of South Africa, Western Cape, against the Democratic Alliance (DA) for wrongful and defamatory actions by the party against the company and its Interim Group Chief Executive Matshela Koko,” the electricity utility said.
The law suit was brought in reaction to a statement by the DA’s spokeswoman Natasha Mazzone published on the party’s website at the end of January.
Mazzone stated that the DA would lodge an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act seeking to obtain the full report by Dentons, an international law firm, on problems at Eskom.
The investigation was commissioned in 2015 and covered a period of several years. It has never been made public.
Mazzone claimed that it allegedly confirmed widespread corruption in Eskom’s upper echelons and implicated Koko. It meant that Eskom was again finding itself mired in “a web of lies, contradictions and inaccuracies”, she added.
Eskom has blocked the release of the full report, instead deciding to make available a redacted version to individuals who requested it through the PAIA route.
Earlier on Wednesday, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown, who has oversight over Eskom, said she believed the company should hand the report to Parliament and discuss the contents with MPs.
“Eskom should come and run you through the report,” the minister told the portfolio committee on public enterprises after she was asked to comment on the company’s failure to release the full report.
Koko said Eskom was ready to engage with MPs on the report, but accused Mazzone of making wild accusations without having the full facts and the DA of running a “public campaign” against Eskom.
“It has become a hobby of some organisations to publicly cast aspersions on people and throw wild accusations without facts, without any regard for people’s reputations.”
“Our position on the Dentons report is a matter of public record and we are open to engage political parties in Parliament as required by the law.”
– African News Agency (ANA)
