Ouch! Read some of Gordhan's zingers to Singh at #EskomInquiry

Former Eskom chief financial officer (CFO) Anoj Singh was in the crosshairs of the parliamentary inquiry into state capture on Tuesday. He testified under oath about the financial woes of the power utility.

MPs were unimpressed with his apparent amnesia and accused him of lying‚ being evasive and misleading the inquiry. Here are some of the best quotes from ANC MP and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan in his cross-examination of Singh.

Part of the problem...

“Of course you must take accountability. There have been downgrades on your watch. There’s a liquidity problem on your watch. You’ve been part of bringing Eskom down to its knees. The biggest utility on the African continent. The fifth‚ what‚ fourth or fifth-biggest in the world. You’ve been part of the team that brought it to its knees.”

Sticky story...

“In the face of all the political changes that are happening‚ how long do you think your story is going stick?”

Memories...

“You’ve only been in the job for two and a half years and you can’t remember anything.”

Dubai connection...

“The whole evening you’ve been telling us‚ ask Treasury. As if Treasury is some foreign entity sitting in Dubai. I mean‚ there might well be a Treasury sitting there. That’s a different matter.”

Checklist...

“You should’ve kept a checklist here on a board and we would have shown you how many crosses you would have made about the ‘I don’t knows’.”

“You know what? People like you have ignored a very strong public view‚ that is getting stronger every single day‚ that corruption is actually eroding South Africa’s society and eroding South Africa’s economy. Doesn’t it worry you that you are part of that?” Gordhan asked.

My bad...

“Sir‚ I think corruption is a bad thing. I agree with that. I do not…” Singh said before Gordhan interrupted him. “Bad for others‚ not for you‚” Gordhan replied.

Expecting the expected...

“In fact‚ it’s a huge conspiracy to ensure that Oakbay Resources gets access to this business and all of you in the top management and the board of Eskom were part of this conspiracy. That is what I am going to submit to you and you are gonna say‚ ‘No’‚” Gordhan said.

“I would agree that we would say no‚” Singh replied.

“We expect that of you and the public out there expects that of you too.”

Fascinating bills...

“You had massages there [the Oberoi Hotel in Dubai]‚ according to the bills‚” Gordhan said.

“No‚ sir‚” Singh replied.

“You’re fascinating. Absolutely fascinating‚” Gordhan replied.

Really‚ seriously?

“You should get a video of your evidence here today and your interactions with us and ask yourself‚ ‘Is this really you?’ Is this really you? You are literally taking us for fools. And that’s not even our view.”

“For the last six‚ seven hours‚ under your watch‚ everything should actually be awarded a Nobel prize. Thank-you‚ chair.”