Eskom security head still suspended after over 600 days WRITTEN By Myles Illidge

[Nat Quinn]

Eskom security head still suspended after over 600 days WRITTEN By Myles Illidge

Eskom placed its acting head of security, Karen Pillay, on precautionary suspension in June 2023 to investigate undisclosed allegations against her, and she remains suspended nearly a year and eight months later.

MyBroadband asked Eskom about the status of her suspension and whether she has received her full pay throughout her suspension.

“Ms Pillay is still on precautionary suspension, and we cannot disclose internal matters between Eskom and its employees,” the power utility said.

However, it noted that its internal investigation is at a “very advanced stage” and nearing its conclusion.

MyBroadband also contacted Pillay for comment on her case with the power utility, but she didn’t respond to our query.

At the time of her suspension, Eskom said Pillay was placed on precautionary suspension to allow space for the investigation into allegations levelled against her to continue without hindrance.

However, it didn’t specify which allegations it would investigate.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) and former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko quickly commented on the development, welcoming Pillay’s suspension.

“Hopefully this leads to a full investigation that exposes the extent of the sabotage and rot in @Eskom_SA. And criminal charges against whoever is implicated,” said Outa.

“What goes around comes around. Hunters are being hunted. André de Ruyter’s forces are on the receiving end. It’s nothing new,” said Koko.

Koko added that Eskom board Mpho Makwana’s “people” would also be “on the receiving end” when he left office.

Pillay’s suspension came shortly after reports that Eskom paid the Fidelity Services Group R500 million over three months to provide security and investigate coal theft at its power stations.

The power utility denied any wrongdoing in its awarding the security contract to Fidelity and said it only spent half of the contract’s R500 million budget.

“A total of approximately R250 million, including VAT, was spent for the duration of the contract,” it said.

However, NSA Global later said Pillay had approached it and several other companies in December 2021 to develop an emergency contract. It claimed that the contract could have cost R30 million.

NSA Global alleged that Eskom channelled the contract it developed to Fidelity.

“Hours were spent doing so. Our company’s intellectual property was the taken and given to Fidelity,” an NSA Global official said.

Fidelity ADT weighs in

In June 2023, Fidelity CEO Wahl Baartman confirmed that the security company was awarded a three-month emergency contract with Eskom to provide extensive security services for the power utility.

He explained that the contract was comprehensive and involved land and air support, tactical intervention units, and crowd control.

The power utility entered the emergency contract following a wage dispute with unions in June 2022. The protests turned violent, causing damage to power stations and employees’ homes.

Bartmann said the emergency contract comprised national deployment to protect its generation and transmission assets. He confirmed that Eskom spent R250 million, not the budgeted R500 million.

“During this period, Fidelity Services Group, together with other service providers, were already supplying other services to Eskom, in support of their National Wage dispute,” said Bartmann.

He added that Eskom awarded the contract to Fidelity based on its experience in managing specialised services within South Africa’s National Critical Infrastructure Industry and its national footprint.

“Fidelity’s Business Centre, as well as National Command Centres, were utilised for operational compliance and execution,” he said.

“Contrary to Media statements and reports, Fidelity Services Group was not requested, nor provided, any Intelligence services to Eskom.”

Bartmann added that Fidelity would provide its full and unconditional cooperation to any inquiry into the contract.

 

SOURCE:Eskom security head still suspended after over 600 days – MyBroadband

 

 

[Author]

Posts