Do not exempt Eskom, Western Cape premier implores finance minister

Western Cape premier Alan Winde has written to finance minister Enoch Godongwana objecting to the proposal to exempt Eskom from disclosing its financial statements. 

In terms of the proposal, the power utility will not have to disclose irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in its financial statements for 2022/23 and the following two years.

Among key issues raised by the premier is that the invitation for comment on the matter must comply with the requirements of the Fair Administrative Procedures Regulations 2002 made under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA). 

The act expressly provides that a notice published inviting the public to submit comments must “contain sufficient information about the proposed administrative action to enable members of the public to submit meaningful comments”. 

“As South Africa has spent the majority of 2023 in various stages of load-shedding, it is without question that the life of each resident has been adversely affected by the failings of Eskom. Any measure pertaining to the oversight of Eskom and the preventive measures taken to reduce the scope of corruption at Eskom affects the lives and rights of all residents,” said Winde.

As a country that has seen the adverse effects of unchecked corruption and public mismanagement, it is critical that each public institution embeds within its protocols and regulations the principles of good governance and transparency, he added.

“Rather than looking to exempt Eskom, the National Treasury should institute further scrutiny and support in rooting out the maladministration and corruption in the institution.

“I encourage the minister and the National Treasury to not proceed with the proposed exemption and allow our democratic processes and our parliamentary oversight bodies to protect South Africans and their rights,” said Winde.

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