Where is the R500,000, Collen?

ANC Youth League president Collen Maine  accepted a half a million rand “donation” from a coal company after promising it he could stop its  contract with Eskom being scrapped.

Eskom had given notice it was planning to terminate its R8-billion contract with Just Coal, an Mpumalanga-based company. Owners of the company met with Maine, who allegedly promised to find a “political solution” to its problems with Eskom, but that this would come at a price —  a R500,000 donation to the ANCYL.

Just Coal, owned by billionaire Joe Singh, claims to have been “forced” to pay "donations"  to many Gauteng politicians and senior Eskom executives.

Maine never delivered the promised “political solution” and the contract was subsequently terminated. The company has now turned to parliament and the courts seeking its  reinstatement. 

Maine yesterday confirmed that he “did receive the donation as requested by myself on behalf of the youth league”. He said it was paid into the youth league’s bank account.

In its explosive  document submitted to parliament last month, JUST COAL  claims it was approached by a Gauteng politician in March to give a stake in the business and at least 50 trucks to a company linked to now suspended Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko if it wanted to keep its contract.

Two ANCYL national executive committee members claimed the league had been expecting R1-million from Just Coal, but only received half that. They  accused Maine of using the league’s name for personal gain and said they suspected he pocketed the other half.

“He is doing business deals using the name of the organisation. We were told there would be a donation of R1-million but only half reached our coffers”.

• See the full story in the Sunday Times