Public Enterprises denies Gordhan had any influence in Eskom pension fund appointment

The Ministery of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordon has dismissed allegations of “undue interference” in the Eskom pension fund.

In a statement on Sunday spokesperson Sam Mkokeli said the minister is aware of the media reports and that the choice to appoint the pension fund chairperson is entirely the responsibility of Eskom.

“These malicious reports are based on a deliberately false narrative of DPE “interference “ in the management of state-owned companies.”

A report by the Sunday Independent reported that Gordhan had revoked the appointment of the first black woman to be the chairperson of Eskom pension and provident fund and rather appointed Caroline Henry to the position.

He says the process culminated in a final shortlist, which Henry became the preferred candidate, Mantuka Maisela, according to Eskom, had not made the shortlist.

“This report is manufactured by an arrogant and destructive cabal employed to tarnish the reputation of all those fighting against corruption and to defend malfeasance. The allegations seek to tarnish the name of the minister and sustain a narrative that has been propagated over several months by specific individuals that are entangled in SOE
corruption and state capture,” Mkokeli said.

He stated that certain media publications have made it their mission to discredit the work that the department has put into eradicate corruption.

Adding the newspaper ignored all the facts provided to its journalists by Eskom on the recruitment process, including that the company ran the process with the help of an external recruitment firm.

“It is therefore simply not true that the ministry intervened or vetoed the appointment of Maisela to the position.”

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