FORMER Eskom CEO Matshela Koko has once again distanced himself from the shenanigans between Eskom and the Guptas.
He told the Zondo Commission yesterday he did not understand why former board chairman Ben Ngubane and former company secretary Suzanne Daniels wanted to throw him under the bus.
Koko said Ngubane even went on to deny that he communicated with him via an info portal email address before September 2016 until evidence to the contrary was placed before him.
“He is entangled in this info portal address. He’s trying to distance himself from this address. These are the characteristics of people who came to you and lie to save their skins,” said Koko.
The commission has been told the info portal address belonged to Gupta lieutenant Salim Essa.
He said the first time he came across the info portal email address was after he came back from his suspension in July 2015.
He said it was given to him by Daniels for the purposes of communicating with Ngubane.
However, one email discussed his family visas for a holiday in Indonesia.
Asked why Ngubane organised his visas, Koko said he was just happy that the visas were sorted out.
“It was strange when I later looked at it. I must admit I might have been wrong. I think it was for convenience,” he said.
Koko started his testimony by asking commission chairman Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo when President Cyril Ramaphosa would appear before him.
He said he needed answers from Ramaphosa and would not rest until he explained his interference in Eskom matters as deputy president.
Evidence leader Pule Seleka told him the Presidency was preparing an affidavit in response to that.
Daniels alleged that Koko authorised a R1,8 billion payout to McKinsey and Trillian despite the power utility having no contract with the consulting companies.
Koko said Eskom procedure was clear that no work could begin without the signing of contracts.
He said in case of an emergency, where the supplier does work before the contract is signed, a letter of award was binding.
“My name has been dragged in the mud and I must correct that,” he said.
