Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer. Image: Supplied
Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer. Image: Supplied
Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer is under the cosh once more this week after it was revealed that the business executive had actively sought-out positions for family members without declaring their relations.
The COO has previously admitted to calling a senior executive and asking him to find a job in Cape Town for his brother-in-law, Gregory Jacobs. Nepotism, of course, was an underlying factor in Eskom’s Gupta-sponsored collapse during the height of state capture.
As Bloomberg report, a 15-page report has lifted the lid on what Oberholzer has been accused of doing since he was appointed to the board. The allegations include the following:
The Aveng payment promises to be a particularly troublesome matter for Jan Oberholzer. Nazeer Cassim, a former high court judge, processed the report into his behaviour: Although Eskom has suggested a form of ‘counselling’ to teach the executive about their best practice, Cassim believes the R42 million transaction requires a stronger form of retribution:
“Jan Oberholzer breached the provisions of the Eskom policy – he should have abstained from the transactions in totality. I propose and recommend that the CEO or a nominated board member counsels Oberholzer on the matter… But there is no reason why the Aveng issue cannot be the subject matter of a disciplinary hearing.”
Nazeer Cassim