Pretoria - Eskom has confirmed the suspension of four of its employees after their appearance in a television interview last month.
"Eskom has taken a preliminary decision to suspend four employees who participated in the Carte Blanche programme that was aired on 24 January 2010 pending the finalisation of their disciplinary hearings," the power utility said on Tuesday afternoon.
Eskom said the employees have been given a right to make representation within two working days as to why the preliminary decision should not be made final.
In their interview, the four were talking about how the parastatal is hiring black staff from abroad to meet its black economic empowerment quotas.
Media reports indicate that Eskom made empty promises to lure them away from overseas positions last year into posts (at Eskom) that did not exist.
However, Eskom spokesperson Sibusiso Duma said the preliminary suspension was with pay and that disciplinary action will take place in due course.
"This is an internal matter and no further discussions with the media will be entered into on this issue," said Duma.
