Eskom's former head of legal to meet with lawyers over dismissal

Suzanne Daniels, Eskom's now former Head of Legal and Compliance, says she will meet with her lawyer to discuss the proper recourse after she was summarily dismissed from the power utility.

Daniels was found guilty of misconduct by an independent disciplinary process.

But she now says she is not surprised by the outcome of the process, claiming the inquiry "really did not pay attention to my version".

She was suspended again in March only days after winning her CCMA case against Eskom.

At the time the newly appointed board expressed concern over the serious allegations against her and believed they "had to be ventilated through an independent disciplinary process".

In a statement on Friday, Eskom said the board had no vendetta against Daniels, but she maintains both the board and management had an agenda and that this determined the outcome of her hearing.

The dismissal follows a recommendation by Adv. Nazir Cassim who lead the inquiry.

Daniels faced four charges in total, and was found guilty on all of them:

- Distribution of confidential Eskom proprietary interest to a third party;

- Her involvement in the McKinsey and Trillian transactions;

- Her involvement in the Tegeta transaction; and

- Her mandating a firm of attorneys and approving payment to the firm of attorneys for legal services rendered to former SABC board chairperson in the SABC Parliamentary Inquiry, which had absolutely nothing to do with Eskom.

Daniels is also known for blowing the whistle on meetings with Ajay Gupta.

In his conclusion Cassim said "Eskom must evaluate the role of service providers, namely lawyers, accountants and other professionals in the transactions dealt with in these charges to understand culpability on the part of such professionals (if any)."

Daniels says she will be taking the matter further but will first meet with her lawyers on Monday.