Eskom tender awarded to company chaired by its former executive was ethical, Parliament told
The IPP Office, which handles all IPP contracts on behalf of Eskom, has told Parliament that the process to award four out of five battery storage contracts to Mulilo Energy was above board.
Former Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer. Picture: X/Eskom_SA
CAPE TOWN - The Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office says there was no conflict of interest when a company chaired by former Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer was awarded a multibillion-rand energy tender.
The IPP Office, which handles all IPP contracts on behalf of Eskom, has told Parliament that the process to award four out of five battery storage contracts to Mulilo Energy was above board.
The IPP Office and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa briefed Parliament’s Energy and Electricity Portfolio Committee on Wednesday, following complaints by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party on alleged conflict of interest.
The MK Party said it wants a full disclosure of the bid-adjudication records, after a multibillion-rand energy tender was awarded to Mulilo Energy.
The committee was supposed to be briefed by the IPP Office last week in a virtual meeting, but the matter was deferred to Wednesday for physical engagement following the MK Party’s request so they can engage officials directly.
Interim head of the IPP Office Lena Mangondo told the meeting that the company did provide a disclosure on Oberholzer's role, and they found no conflict in Oberholzer’s appointment.
“Our legal advisors considered that and indicated having regard to the fact that this person was employed in that role up to 2023, and had no involvement in the tender that was currently being adjudicated.”
Ramokgopa reiterated the need to protect the values of transparency in the process, saying they are more than willing to subject themselves to public scrutiny.