Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane on Friday repeated his denial of claims made by former minerals minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi‚ who has accused Ngubane and Eskom boss Brian Molefe of asking him to make decisions in favour of a Gupta-owned company.
Ramatlhodi’s statements formed part of a comprehensive story by the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism‚ published this week on EWN.
amaBhungane said it had found evidence that Molefe and Ngubane had helped squeeze a mining company out of business‚ so that a Gupta-owned company could buy it.
Below is Ngubane’s full statement‚ released on Friday morning.
MEDIA STATEMENT
Eskom Chairman rebuts the allegations of undue influence on former Minerals Minister Ramatlhodi
Friday‚ 19 May 2017: The barefaced lies by former Ngoako Ramatlhodi could only be sustained by unsuspecting or decidedly biased minds‚ said Dr Ben Ngubane following widespread reports suggesting that both he and Brian Molefe “pressured” him to suspend all the mining rights held by Glencore.
“It is absolutely implausible to suggest that a sitting‚ senior‚ minister could have been bullied by the officials of a state entity. One would have to be extremely biased against Eskom to even remotely consider these allegations to be true given their ridiculous nature. Such allegations by a former senior minister‚ with such a critical national mandate‚ are not only absurd‚ but highlight his own perception of his incompetence‚” said Dr Ngubane.
'Prince' Molefe's return to Eskom is perverse‚ says NzimandeSA Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande said on Friday that Brian Molefe’s return to Eskom was perverse.
Dr Ngubane wondered why the former Minister failed to raise this purported violation at the correct time of its alleged occurrence.
“Did he approach the media at the time it alleged occurred? Did he report the matter to the police‚ if he did‚ what is his case number? Why has it only now become opportune to make these damaging allegations? One would have expected that a genuine moralist‚ which he claims to be‚ would have brought these serious allegations to the attention of the police and/or the media instantly. Genuine moralists do not hang their morality on convenience. This is evidently an opportune time for him to make the allegation and one can only wonder at his motive‚” said Dr Ngubane.
Even though his allegations are unseemly delayed‚ explained Ngubane‚ they should at least be truthful. “Unfortunately they are patently not!”
“For instance‚ while in his previous position as Minister‚ Ramatlhodi stated‚ according to the media reports‚ that he suspended Glencore Optimum’s licence because it did not conduct retrenchments properly. At no point did he allude to us being the reason thereof‚” Dr Ngubane elaborated.
“But he has suddenly decided to self-shame by contradicting himself with his current public statements. He has shamelessly suggested that the licence suspension was not based on the manner in which Glencore handled the retrenchments‚ as widely quoted in the media‚” Dr Ngubane said.
Dr Ngubane lamented the current narrative about Eskom. “It has become very difficult‚ if not totally impossible‚ to separate the truth from wanton fiction. Eskom is the biggest victim of unyielding innuendo and naked lies.”
IN FULL: Eskom is a victim of 'naked lies'‚ says chairman
Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane on Friday repeated his denial of claims made by former minerals minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi‚ who has accused Ngubane and Eskom boss Brian Molefe of asking him to make decisions in favour of a Gupta-owned company.
Ramatlhodi’s statements formed part of a comprehensive story by the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism‚ published this week on EWN.
amaBhungane said it had found evidence that Molefe and Ngubane had helped squeeze a mining company out of business‚ so that a Gupta-owned company could buy it.
Below is Ngubane’s full statement‚ released on Friday morning.
MEDIA STATEMENT
Eskom Chairman rebuts the allegations of undue influence on former Minerals Minister Ramatlhodi
Friday‚ 19 May 2017: The barefaced lies by former Ngoako Ramatlhodi could only be sustained by unsuspecting or decidedly biased minds‚ said Dr Ben Ngubane following widespread reports suggesting that both he and Brian Molefe “pressured” him to suspend all the mining rights held by Glencore.
“It is absolutely implausible to suggest that a sitting‚ senior‚ minister could have been bullied by the officials of a state entity. One would have to be extremely biased against Eskom to even remotely consider these allegations to be true given their ridiculous nature. Such allegations by a former senior minister‚ with such a critical national mandate‚ are not only absurd‚ but highlight his own perception of his incompetence‚” said Dr Ngubane.
Dr Ngubane wondered why the former Minister failed to raise this purported violation at the correct time of its alleged occurrence.
“Did he approach the media at the time it alleged occurred? Did he report the matter to the police‚ if he did‚ what is his case number? Why has it only now become opportune to make these damaging allegations? One would have expected that a genuine moralist‚ which he claims to be‚ would have brought these serious allegations to the attention of the police and/or the media instantly. Genuine moralists do not hang their morality on convenience. This is evidently an opportune time for him to make the allegation and one can only wonder at his motive‚” said Dr Ngubane.
Even though his allegations are unseemly delayed‚ explained Ngubane‚ they should at least be truthful. “Unfortunately they are patently not!”
“For instance‚ while in his previous position as Minister‚ Ramatlhodi stated‚ according to the media reports‚ that he suspended Glencore Optimum’s licence because it did not conduct retrenchments properly. At no point did he allude to us being the reason thereof‚” Dr Ngubane elaborated.
“But he has suddenly decided to self-shame by contradicting himself with his current public statements. He has shamelessly suggested that the licence suspension was not based on the manner in which Glencore handled the retrenchments‚ as widely quoted in the media‚” Dr Ngubane said.
Dr Ngubane lamented the current narrative about Eskom. “It has become very difficult‚ if not totally impossible‚ to separate the truth from wanton fiction. Eskom is the biggest victim of unyielding innuendo and naked lies.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos