TO: PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA HOUSES
FROM: KGANKI MATABANE
DATE: 03 Apr 2023
SUBJECT: BLACK BUSINESS COUNCIL OUTRAGED BY MINISTER OF FINANCE DECISION TO EXEMPT ESKOM FROM PFMA
The Black Business Council (BBC) is outraged by the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana’s decision to exempt Eskom from the Public Finance Management Act (the PFMA).
This follows the publication of a Government Gazette on 31 March 2023, exempting Eskom from disclosing any of its irregular expenditure and fruitless and wasteful expenditure that occurred during the financial years 2022/3/4/5 in the annual report.
The BBC views this as an irrational decision that desperately seeks to shield the incompetent former CEO of Eskom, Mr André Marinus de Ruyter, from his lack of compliance with the PFMA. This makes a mockery of our beloved country.
The BBC will seek an urgent meeting with the Minister of Finance and the Deputy President of the Republic of SA as Leader of Government Business, to sharply raise this serious anomaly.
The BBC stands firm on transparency, openness and accountability. Exemptions in the legislation can’t be abused and be used willy-nilly to protect non-compliance by any individual or organ of state.