ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu has lambasted public enterprises minister Lynne Brown and her deputy‚ Ben Martins‚ following their attack on parliament’s inquiry into the capture of Eskom.

In a statement on Wednesday‚ Mthembu lashed out at Brown and Martins‚ saying their conduct went “against the grain of parliament’s oversight role“.

Brown on Tuesday claimed the Eskom inquiry amounted to a kangaroo court after she was called a liar by Eskom board spokesman Khulani Qoma over her role in the capture of the power utility.

Martins also said on Tuesday that parliament was conducting an unfair process after he was also implicated in the alleged capture of Eskom by the parastatal’s suspended head of legal services.

Both Brown and Martins claimed parliament allowed Eskom employees to make serious allegations against them without affording them the right of reply.

However‚ Mthembu said they had jumped the gun with their attacks on parliament as the institution would be calling them to appear before the committee to detail their versions of events.

Here’s Mthembu’s full statement:

PARLIAMENTARY ESKOM INQUIRY WILL BE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip notes concerns from various individuals on the fairness of the parliamentary inquiry into Eskom which is currently underway. These concerns arise from the claim that there have been allegations levelled against the concerned parties in the inquiry while they have not been afforded an opportunity to respond.

We have been assured by the committee on Public Enterprises that all individuals mentioned‚ accused or implicated by any testimony during the inquiry will be afforded an opportunity to tell their side of the story. In fact‚ the committee is already communicating with various parties inviting them to appear before the inquiry.

The ANC Chief Whip shares the sentiments expressed by ANC MP comrade Dr Zukile Luyenge in today’s committee meeting that “the attacks on the evidence leader of the inquiry are unwarranted‚ misplaced‚ unfair and must be condemned.” As the evidence leader‚ Adv. Mthuthuzeli Vanara is acting at the behest of the committee and is doing work he has been tasked with as an employee of the institution. The singling out of a parliamentary employee who is acting on behalf of a committee goes against the grain of parliament’s oversight role.

Our objective as parliament through this inquiry is to unearth any wrong doing at our public entity and to ensure that those implicated are held accountable. We therefore encourage anyone with information which could assist the inquiry to come forward.