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Cape Town – A high court’s ruling that former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe pay back pension he received, is the start to the end of corruption at state-owned enterprises, says the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse.
The North Gauteng High Court on Thursday ruled that Molefe has 10 days to pay back around R11m, part of a R30m payout, he had received from the power utility.
The full bench of judges which included Judge Elias Matojane, Judge Hans Fabricius and Judge Segopotje Mphahlele found that Molefe’s declaration that he had not resigned was false and that he was never entitled to the pension money, Fin24 reported.
"We trust this judgement will serve as a precedent and signal the beginning of the end of lucrative and fraudulent conduct of this nature within SOEs and the state as a whole,” OUTA’s CEO Wayne Duvenage said in a statement.
He said that the “debacle” made a mockery of employment procedures and governance at Eskom.
“The time for massive golden handshakes and payments to favour the friends of Jacob Zuma and others in high places must end,” the statement read.
“Additionally, those who seek to override due process within the state and its entities must also be held accountable for allowing this gross misconduct in the first place.”
DA MP James Selfe, in a statement said that the ruling is a victory for the South African public. The judgement should serve as a warning for others involved in corruption at SOEs.
Molefe could also possibly face criminal charges. Trade union Solidarity's chief executive Dirk Hermann told Fin24 after the judgement that the next step for the union would be to pursue criminal charges against him.
Solidarity first approached the high court on November 29 2017 to declare Molefe's controversial pension award of about R30m, as well as the more than R10m already paid out to him, unlawful.
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