The Congress of the People has noted Jacob Maroga's outrageous and regrettable R85-million law suit against the financially ailing Eskom. The public is currently terrified by the anticipation that Eskom is going to be granted the 35% tariff hike on electricity by NERSA while the public will unfortunately have to foot the bill. COPE believes that the former CEO of the power utility is really taking South Africans for a ride considering that the report by the former Eskom chairperson, Bobby Godsell has on record confirmed that the parastal perished under Maroga's guard with a list of no less than 40 tasks left undone.

COPE however believes that Maroga's behaviour is perpetuated by the precedents set by ANC government that senior executive of State Owned Entities and other public institutions can continuously loot the public purse despite non-performance. Our view is that Maroga's actions are also encouraged by the ruling party's undesirable status of player and referee with Chancellor House' stake in Hitachi Power Africa through which the ANC benefits from Eskom.

COPE MP, Mlindi Nhanha said, "under Maroga's leadership, Eskom has failed to develop and present a clear plan to deliver affordable, safe and cleaner energy for the country yet he has the audacity to claim R85-million, for what?" Nhanha further said, "the Congress of the People views Maroga's law suit to be fed by nothing but greed and indiscretion. We are very displeased by his disdain attempt to milk blood out of the SOE well knowing that he left the power utility in sorry financial state for which he is partly responsible for".

The Congress of the People supports the call by the UDM leader, General Bantu Holomisa's to the Energy Portfolio Chairperson to summon Eskom to appear before the portfolio committee on the Hitachi deal.

In a letter from MP Nhanha to the Public Enterprise Portfolio Committee Chairperson, Ms Vytjie Mentoor, COPE further called for a joint committee sitting with the Energy Portfolio Committee to haul Eskom over coals to account on the Hitachi deal and the Maroga saga. This is an attempt by parliament to tighten the very loose screws on SOE oversight by boards and, to also ensure that boards are also held accountable for open-ended employment contracts to SOE senior managers which makes provision for golden handshakes irrespective of non-performance.