Cape Town – Brian Molefe’s return to Eskom as chief executive is a “classic Zuma-Gupta move”, according to Save South Africa, which is led by Sipho Pityana.
The group, which has campaigned for President Jacob Zuma to resign due to allegations of state capture related to the Gupta family, said they are “determined to do all in (their) power to stop” Molefe’s return.
“It’s clear that their failed attempt to get Molefe appointed as finance minister has forced a change of strategy. It also confirms that his ‘deployment’ as a member of parliament was never about fulfilling the vital constitutional duties of an MP – it was a cynical stepping stone to the advancement of state capture.
“The next stage is seemingly to get him back in Eskom where, with the protection of … (Eskom chairperson) Ben Ngubane, he will go back to overseeing multi-billion dodgy deals, including the nuclear energy deal.”
Save SA said it will brief its legal advisors on Friday on steps that can be taken to keep Molefe out of Eskom, and will work with others to mobilise protests to show the nation’s outrage.
“Ultimately, the solution is to rid South Africa of Jacob Zuma once and for all. That is the best way to stop the rot, and to Save South Africa,” it said.
Molefe agreed to return to Eskom as its chief executive, after the board rescinded his application for early retirement, Eskom board spokesperson Khulani Qoma confirmed on Friday.
Molefe quit in November 2016 following former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report and has been a Member of Parliament for the past three months.
Qoma said the board met after Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown objected to Eskom’s R30m pension payout to Molefe, which she only discovered through a story in the Sunday Times on April 16.
Eskom chairperson Ben Ngubane told Business Report “that in accordance with the minister’s instructions, the parties attempted to find a mutually acceptable pension proposal, but were unable to reach such an arrangement.”