Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has denied that the government was trying to hide corruption at Eskom.
Godongwana said yesterday that he had withdrawn for now the controversial exemption granted to Eskom after a meeting with the auditor-general and the public outcry that had ensued.
He also urged the official opposition not to go to court to challenge the exemption after government withdrew it.
He said they would issue the gazette today, withdrawing the exemption for Eskom not to report irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
But political parties said the government was trying to hide corruption at Eskom.
The EFF, DA, IFP and NFP members said it was unprecedented that when there was such a cloud over Eskom after damning allegations of corruption by former CEO Andre de Ruyter, then the government tried to shield the power utility from accounting to Parliament.
De Ruyter has agreed to appear before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) to give more information on corruption allegations.
De Ruyter, who left Eskom in March, had fingered high-ranking ANC politicians in the alleged corruption. He said a syndicate in Mpumalanga robbed Eskom of R1 billion every month.
Transnet was granted an exemption last March but Godongwana said the issues of Eskom and Transnet are different because the government’s exposure to Eskom is much higher.
There is a risk to the economy from Eskom.
“There is no reason on our part to hide any corrupt activity.
“In fact, we would like the law enforcement agencies to move with speed in dealing with those issues.
“It was not our intention to undermine the supreme authority of oversight of parliament. We will cooperate with parliament in achieving this objective,” said Godongwana.