August is now Molefe month
Parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises yesterday resolved to devote August to an in-depth probe of the circumstances surrounding Brian Molefe’s reappointment to the helm of Eskom, including allegations of the Gupta family’s hold on the power utility.
“The committee agrees his re-appointment made us think of governance in the entity and, therefore, we would want to know what made them even think of the re-appointment of Brian Molefe, pictured, and that R30 million is good to give,” acting committee chairperson, Zukiswa Rantho, said.
The terms of reference for the inquiry also extend to the ability of the Eskom board to discharge its duties and Eskom’s response to former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s damning findings in her State of Capture report released last year.
Molefe quit under a cloud after she highlighted regular contact between him and the Gupta family, and Eskom’s apparent zeal to give coal contracts to their exploration business, Tegeta.
The committee cried foul last month about the controversial bid to reimpose him at Eskom, which was later rescinded at the orders of a ministerial committee. Molefe is fighting that decision in the Labour Court.
MPs insisted that the inquiry, which is due to begin on August 1, should look into the role of Ben Ngubane, who quit as chairperson of the Eskom board days after Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown instructed him to let Molefe go.