/ 17 November 2018

Masango quits hours after Eskom suspension

Abram Masango was the subject of a disciplinary hearing in 2017 over allegations of failing to do proper risk and governance processes relating to Kusile power station.
Abram Masango was the subject of a disciplinary hearing in 2017 over allegations of failing to do proper risk and governance processes relating to Kusile power station.

Hours after announcing its suspension of Abram Masango — group executive for capital at Eskom — Masango resigned.

In a letter, Masango’s lawyers reportedly indicated that Masango had resigned because of “continuous harassment, threats and victimisation”.

In April this year, City Press reported that Masango blew the whistle to former Eskom board chairperson Ben Ngubane with regards to corruption involving Matshela Koko.

At the time, Masango claimed he was being targeted for exposing corruption at Eskom.

“After more than 20 dedicated years as a loyal and committed senior Executive of Eskom, Mr Abram Masango, the highly respected whistleblower who exposed the rot and corruption within the power utility, has resigned with immediate effect,” the letter reads.

Masango was suspended on Friday pending an investigation into his alleged actions of impropriety relating to coal-powered Kusile power station project in Mpumalanga.

This is not Masango’s first suspension. In 2017, he was the subject of a disciplinary hearing over allegations of failing to do proper risk and governance processes relating to Kusile power station and failing to obtain legal advice on the project in contravention of Eskom’s delegation on authority.

In April this year, he was cleared of all charges.

“Whilst we recognise his rights to be presumed innocent, however, given the serious allegations made against him, and seniority of his position in Eskom, Eskom management took a decision to place him on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation,” the statement reads. 

The Eskom board said it is “committed to investigating all allegations of impropriety involving Eskom”.