Molefe agrees to stay away from Eskom as court decides

OUSTED Eskom group chief executive Brian Molefe agreed not to report for duty at the power utility pending legal proceedings regarding his future at Eskom.

This agreement followed the postponement of the DA’s application against him yesterday, in which it is asking that the decision to reinstate him be set aside.

Although this decision was on Friday rescinded by the Eskom board, the DA said it would go ahead with the application if Molefe was successful in the Labour Court.

The urgent Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, application, which was due to start yesterday, was meanwhile postponed indefinitely, pending the outcome of Molefe’s Labour Court bid to have his dismissal overturned.

In terms of the agreement reached, Molefe will not report for work at Eskom, and Eskom will not expect him to perform his duties.

James Selfe of the DA said the party would meanwhile attempt to intervene in Molefe’s Labour Court matter. Should Molefe be successful in the Labour Court, the DA would take the necessary steps to re-enrol its application to interdict his continued employment at Eskom.

“We are not sure when the proceedings at the Labour Court will begin, but we are preparing papers to apply to intervene as we are clearly an interested party,” Selfe said.

The Labour Court proceedings are pending the determination of a date for the hearing to be arranged between the parties.

There was some confusion yesterday regarding the DA’s application, as it was not on the court roll. Molefe’s lawyer, Barry Farber, told the media outside court that the matter was indeed postponed indefinitely.

The DA lodged its urgent court bid shortly after Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown reinstated Molefe.