TAXPAYERS will continue to carry the limping Eskom.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) approved the bill on Wednesday, 21 June effectively pardoning the power utility as the National Treasury will be taking over a portion of its debt.
The Debt Relief Bill seeks to write off R254 billion of the debt owed to different entities and financial institutions.
“The results from the table are as follows: In favour 30, against 18, absentia 0. The bill is therefore agreed to in terms of Section 75 of the Constitution,” said NCOP chairman Amos Masondo.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana initially proposed the bill but opposition parties criticised the move last month, saying it would not resolve the country’s energy crisis.
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The national Treasury will now take over more than half of the ailing state-owned company’s R400 billion debts as it will give Eskom R254 billion over three years.
ANC MP Dikeledi Mahlangu said: “National Treasury together with the Department of Public Enterprises should come up with a clear plan within 60 days of the adoption of this report to ensure that decisive judgment is made for State Owned Entities to deliver or return to investment effectively and efficiently, failing which dysfunctional SOE’s should be restructured sold off or shut down to save the taxpayer’s money.”
Meanwhile, members of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) are visiting Eskom headquarters in Megawatt Park demanding answers on the allegations of wrongdoing at the power utility.
Former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter claimed in an interview on a TV interview in February 2023 that a minister and senior politician were made aware of the alleged corruption at Eskom, and were part of it.
He also alleged that Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan was interfering at the power utility.
Eskom acting chairwoman Claudelle von Eck told Scopa that they only found out about the investigation on 17 January and at that time, De Ruyter had already resigned in December 2022.
