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Eskom issue difficult, embarrassing for ANC - Mkhize

Cape Town – Eskom is a difficult and embarrassing issue for the African National Congress (ANC), treasurer general Zweli Mkhize said on Tuesday evening.

This follows a string of reports into alleged corruption and maladministration at Eskom, which culminated in the reinstatement of Brian Molefe as chief executive this month, following a conundrum with his early pension payout of R30m.

Addressing hundreds of people at the Sefako Makgatho memorial lecture in Lebowakgomo outside Polokwane in Limpopo, Mkhize said South Africans who voted for the ANC should not allow state capture.

“Eskom (is) a very difficult issue to us,” Mkhize, whose speech was aired on SABC’s YouTube channel, said. “As ANC, we have expressed our views and the issue is embarrassing.

“We hope that the matter will be dealt with expeditiously. Because, at the end of the day, everything you do is about services to the people.

“There is a debate going on about a state capture,” he said. “We are here on the basis of the people of South Africa who voted us into office and we cannot allow any form of capture.”

READ: Eskom to face court case, two inquiries and board review

Mkhize’s speech followed a statement by the ANC on Tuesday afternoon, which said representations by Eskom and Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown in Parliament on Tuesday about the reinstatement of Molefe are disingenuous and "amount to perjury".

It called on government and Parliament to "act decisively to deal with this irrational and untenable situation".

WATCH: Zweli Mkhize on Eskom

Earlier, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan lashed out at Eskom and Brown in his maiden appearance at the portfolio committee on public enterprises.

READ: Gordhan launches scathing attack on Eskom

"You are part of a conspiracy to capture Eskom for the purposes or benefit of the few. That is the reality. Let us not play around with technical questions. That’s the reality," Gordhan charged.

Referring to Molefe's reappointment, he said: "This is not just one isolated incident of hiring, firing, retiring, or not retiring or maternity leave or otherwise. This is part of a pattern."    

READ: Fraud cloud over Molefe's reappointment

Brown backtracked from her defence of Molefe on Tuesday, saying she would abide by a court ruling on the matter of his reinstatement.

She also announced an inquiry into coal procurement, as well as a review and legal opinion on bringing changes to the board at Eskom’s June annual general meeting.

The portfolio committee on public enterprises, meanwhile, said it would launch its own inquiry into Molefe’s return and demanded documents from Eskom within 14 days.

FULL STATEMENT: Lynne Brown withdraws opposition to DA's Molefe case

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