Eskom's board has allowed suspended former acting CEO Matshela Koko to hand-pick the officials who will preside over his disciplinary hearing, due to start tomorrow.
The Sunday Times has seen correspondence in which Koko, through his lawyer Asger Gani, was given "an opportunity to elect one name from a list of three senior counsel" to be approached to chair his disciplinary hearing. Koko rejected all three names, because "they are white men".
Eskom then presented another list, this time headed by Hamilton Maenetje SC, followed by Vincent Maleka SC and Tim Bruinders SC. Koko chose Maenetje.
Koko was suspended in August and faces charges relating to the awarding of contracts worth more than R1-billion to Impulse International, of which his stepdaughter was a director.
He will also answer to five counts emanating from a whistleblower's report and for playing a key role in awarding a R1.6-billion contract to global consultancy McKinsey and the Gupta-linked Trillian.
Eskom has already incurred a R1.5-million bill for legal costs in preparation for the hearing.
Yesterday, Maenetje told the Sunday Times he would no longer chair the hearing as he was unavailable.
Eskom chose Sebetja Matsaung to present its case against Koko despite Matsaung being described as "too junior to chair the inquiry, and lack[ing] the experience and expertise". Matsaung's name was fourth on the original list of candidates presented by now suspended legal head Suzanne Daniels for a chairperson. Eskom declined to say why he was chosen...