Koko tipped off Eskom manager about suspensions, inquiry told

A former Eskom manager has testified that the day before a number of top  executives were suspended, the utility’s then executive for commerce and technology, Matshela Koko, told her she would be asked to act as financial director.

Nonkululeko Dlamini, a chartered accountant, told the state capture inquiry on Wednesday that she was attending a two-day strategic session in March 2015 when Koko called her.

At the time, she was a senior general manager at Eskom.

“He asked where I was. I indicated that I was at the session. He requested that we meet at Melrose Arch urgently.

“I told him I could not. I asked Miss [Tsholofelo] Molefe [former financial director at Eskom] if she knew what was going on.

“I then indicated to Mr Koko I could not leave the strat session.”

During the short conversation with Koko, Dlamini said he requested that she send him her CV.

“In between [the strategic session] I attempted to send the CV.

“He called again to require that we meet. It was after 5pm. I was in Midrand already, where the Eskom academy of learning is.”

Dlamini eventually met Koko at a fast-food restaurant, she said.

“At the time, he related that there were suspensions that were going to take place and that he, too, was going to be suspended.

“He said I might be asked to act in that role [financial director]. I wasn’t aware of the activities from the 6th to the 10th [March 2015].”

Evidence before the commission indicates that there were suspensions of executives at Eskom between March 11 and 12 in 2015.

Molefe was one of the executives who was suspended.

Dlamini was subsequently appointed as acting financial director.

In his affidavit before the commission, Koko denied calling Dlamini to ask for a meeting or for her CV.

In her response, Dlamini said: “I doubt I would have dreamt that I got a call.

“Mr Koko did call me around lunchtime and requested that I meet him at Melrose Arch.”

In the affidavit, Koko also said that he and Dlamini were shocked to hear of Molefe’s suspension.

“It was not a surprise because I had heard it from Mr Koko on the 10th,” Dlamini  said.