Former Eskom chief executive Andre De Ruyter. Photo: Supplied
Eskom says it is unaware of a request dating back to June from the State Security Agency (SSA) for vetting documentation pertaining to chief executive André de Ruyter.
“It is therefore inaccurate to claim Eskom has delayed the vetting process of its executives,” utility spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said in response to questions from the Mail & Guardian on Wednesday.
This was after deputy minister responsible for state security Zizi Kodwa earlier on Wednesday said De Ruyter was not fully vetted because he had not provided all of the information requested by the SSA.
“We were promised by Mr De Ruyter that by the beginning of June he will give us the outstanding documents,” Kodwa told parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa).
According to Mantshantsha, Eskom only received vetting documents — known as Z204 forms — for its chief executive and other executives in October this year.
“It is therefore inaccurate to claim Eskom has delayed the vetting process of its executives,” said Mantshantsa.
He said the vetting process had commenced “in earnest” since receipt of this form and that “Eskom will do everything possible to complete this process as soon as possible”.
Mantshantsha added that Eskom had also regularly updated parliament about delays in the vetting process over the past three years.
Appearing before Scopa on 19 October, De Ruyter said Eskom’s vetting programme was in progress and that the focus was on senior executives, supply chain management, national key points, security, assurance and forensic and primary energy areas.
The committee was informed that of 21 senior Eskom executives, only five have been granted security clearance. This included De Ruyter and the power utility’s acting general manager of procurement, Jainthree Sankar.
De Ruyter gave his assurance that the establishment of a vetting field work unit was under way “as the SSA was under great pressure due to the high demand for vetting and its shortage of resources”.
He said the Special Investigating Unit was also assisting with the financial profiling of individual employees mentioned in investigations.
Asked by a Scopa member from the Economic Freedom Fighters, Veronica Mente, during the October hearing why there were still outstanding vetting processes, De Ruyter said it was Eskom’s understanding that the SSA vetting unit had a significant backlog, but was now prioritising the utility.
On Wednesday, Scopa chair Mkhuleko Hlengwa said delays in vetting were not limited to Eskom, but had also been flagged at the South African Broadcasting Corporation, law enforcement agencies and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.
During a Scopa meeting on 16 November, national director of public prosecutions Shamila Batohi said vetting was also a “perennial problem” within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). She said when officials did not have top secret clearance, they could not access certain key documents needed for investigations.
Batohi however assured parliament that the NPA had been engaging with the SSA and there had been “some movement” with certain key positions and in expediting the vetting process within the authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID).
The SSA is due to appear before Scopa again on 24 January 2023.
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