Senior police investigator a no-show at Scopa's Eskom hearing

SA Police Service investigator Brig Jaap Burger, who was due to give testimony to parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) about allegations of corruption, theft, sabotage and cartels at Eskom, was a no-show on Wednesday.

Police national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola said Burger raised security concerns about appearing in parliament but he had instructed him to attend the meeting.

“I directed him to be here but I don’t see him. He raised concerns around him appearing publicly. He raised concerns about his security and so on. I said he should come but I do not see him,” Masemola told MPs at the beginning of Wednesday’s meeting.

MPs were unhappy about the apparent snub as Burger had not communicated his fears to Scopa or tendered an apology.

Scopa chair Mkhuleko Hlengwa noted that from what the committee has heard from several witnesses, Burger was a common denominator in a number of interactions about the investigations at Eskom.

“It is common cause when we met [Andre] de Ruyter and when we met the law enforcement agencies, there was a constant and permanent reference to the work done by Burger and that he seemed to be the common denominator in interactions, with even reference being made to by the minister,” said Hlengwa.

“Because of the work, it seemed as if he was the man with the information and any response we received would in one way or the other say that would be in the purview of Burger, so his absence this morning handicaps this meeting because he is the one who is supposed to be here.

“Yes, the national commissioner did raise with me the issues raised by Burger and I indicated he should still come and present those to us himself. There was no indication that he wouldn’t pitch and I find it therefore to be he is Awol and second, I consider it to be insubordination of yourself, national commissioner.”

Scopa has held meetings with several stakeholders about De Ruyter’s allegations of malfeasance at Eskom to determine whether an inquiry is required into those allegations.

Masemola designated Burger as the liaison with De Ruyter’s intelligence operation after the former Eskom boss met senior police officers, including Masemola, to request police assistance in investigating corruption at Eskom in June last year.

In his submission, De Ruyter claimed Burger had full access to the intelligence gathered and told him he had kept his line of command informed.

This is a developing story.

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