MEDIA STATEMENT
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Sunday 15 December 2024 - Public Interest SA expresses its deep dismay and unequivocal condemnation of the Energy Council of South Africa’s decision to appoint the disgraced management consultancy Bain & Co. to run its project management office. This decision is not only a stark affront to South Africans still grappling with the devastating consequences of state capture but also an affront to the principles of accountability and justice.
The harm caused by Bain & Co. to South Africa’s economy and governance is immeasurable. The damage inflicted on the South African Revenue Service (SARS) alone, as highlighted by the 2018 Nugent Commission, is estimated to exceed R100 billion. Bain’s role in facilitating state capture has been a significant factor in South Africa’s greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), with ongoing repercussions for the country’s economy and global reputation.
No amount of whitewashing by Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) or Bain’s claims of "restorative initiatives" can erase the firm’s culpability. It is unconscionable that whistleblower Athol Williams remains in exile, fearing for his life, while Bain and its associates have yet to face any real accountability for their heinous actions against the South African people.
The Energy Council’s justification that Bain offered pro bono services as the only firm willing to commit on such terms underscores the precariousness of this arrangement. This is not an act of altruism—it is a calculated move by a multinational attempting to rehabilitate its image at the expense of South Africans who continue to suffer the pernicious effects of corruption. As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch, especially when it involves firms with Bain’s track record of enabling corruption.
"Energy Council CEO James Mackay’s assurance that Bain has undergone “due diligence” and implemented “reforms” is both tone-deaf and misguided. The argument that Bain has been readmitted to BLSA or had its UK ban lifted does little to absolve the firm of its historical and systemic misconduct. This appointment can only be described as a slap in the face to millions of South Africans demanding accountability and ethical governance," states Tebogo Khaas, Chairperson of Public Interest SA.
The Energy Council has a critical mandate to resolve South Africa’s energy crisis. Partnering with Bain—whose credibility and integrity remain deeply compromised—undermines public trust and tarnishes the legitimacy of its efforts.
We call on James Mackay and the Energy Council’s board to urgently reconsider this ill-timed and inappropriate decision. South Africans deserve better than to have their future energy reforms tainted by a firm synonymous with state capture.
This moment requires leadership, integrity, and accountability, not expedient decisions that ignore the suffering of whistleblowers, the public, and the economy. Public Interest SA will continue to monitor this situation closely and demand transparency and justice in matters affecting our nation’s future.
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Public Interest SA Communications Team
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