The Black Business Council (BBC) said it is outraged by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana’s decision to exempt Eskom from the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
This follows the publication of a Government Gazette on March 31, exempting Eskom from disclosing any of its irregular expenditure and fruitless and wasteful expenditure that occurred during the financial years 2022/3/4/5 in the annual report.
The BBC said in a statement it views this as an irrational decision that desperately seeks to shield the incompetent former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eskom, André Marinus de Ruyter, from his lack of compliance with the PFMA.
“This makes a mockery of our beloved country”.
The BBC said it will seek an urgent meeting with Godongwana and the Deputy President of the Republic of SA Paul Mashatile as Leader of Government Business, to raise this ‘serious anomaly ‘.
The BBC said it stands firm on transparency, openness and accountability.
“Exemptions in the legislation can’t be abused and be used willy-nilly to protect non-compliance by any individual or organ of state. The BBC is the overarching confederation that represents black professional, business associations and chambers.
“The primary purpose of the BBC is to lobby the government on policy related matters and to play an advocacy role where policies are in place in order to accelerate the participation of black business in the mainstream economy.”