Eskom will undergo a “deep dive” independent investigation that will look into its affairs over the past ten years. The investigation was ordered by Public Enterprises minister Lynne Brown.

Several short-term investigations into the power utility will also be carried out by the new Eskom interim board.

Opening the POWER-GEN & DistribuTECH Africa power sector stakeholder conference in Sandton this week, Brown said: “While it is a fact that Eskom’s operational performance has significantly improved, Eskom has also been embroiled in a series of serious allegations of maladministration and corruption. None of the allegations have been proven in a court of law yet, but they have fundamentally eroded integrity. Certain matters are now in court and I am constrained to say more about them.”

Brown said that as a shareholder representative, she recently had reason to question the veracity of some of the answers she has been given by the power utility.

“I therefore instituted various measures, including changing the board, and establishing a deep dive investigation to be conducted by South Africa’s official investigation unit into all the allegations of impropriety that have surfaced at Eskom over the past ten years,” she said.

“I have also asked the new interim board of Eskom to conduct certain short term investigations of their own and report to me with recommendations,” Brown added. “There will be more announcements in this regard in due course about Eskom and other state-owned entities in my department’s portfolio.”

She said government and ruling party had agreed on the necessity for further investigations.

Eskom’s new interim chairman Zethembe Khoza also addressed the opening session of the summit. He acknowledged that Eskom made a crucial contribution to South Africa’s gross domestic product and to job creation. He also committed to Eskom’s goals of working towards a low-carbon future, and achieving affordable and reliable power for all.