Numsa roasts Eskom over Molefe’s R30m payout

NATIONAL Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) leader Irvin Jim has berated Eskom for its parting payment of R30.1-million to former chief executive Brian Molefe‚ saying the power utility must account for it.

Molefe spent only 18 months at the power utility and resigned in November after former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report revealed a curious relationship between him and the Gupta family.

Molefe told the Sunday Times that he had been paid “what was due” to him‚ but refused to give a figure.

Jim said: “Eskom’s board and the government must account for on what basis would this [amount] be justified.

“It is shocking, because there has been a deepening crisis at all the SOEs [state-owned enterprises].

“We have a weakness in the serious growth of cronyism and corruption – be it tenders or a particular trend of handshakes that this government has allowed itself to continue with,” he said.

“He [Molefe] can’t get paid from the taxpayers’ money.

“Surely this must be rejected and must be condemned. We are calling for that board to account and the ministry must tell us what has taken place.”

Jim said it had become fashionable for SOE boards to be aligned to factions in power‚ and that parastatals had become “milking cows for particular individuals who are powerful in the state”. That had to stop, he said. Numsa wanted all parastatal boards to be reconstituted and civil society had to be part of them.

It is understood that the Eskom board had a meeting at the utility’s Johannesburg head office on Tuesday‚ following the Sunday Times’ disclosure.

Furthermore‚ Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown had a meeting with Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane yesterday, at the same venue.

However‚ it was not clear exactly what was on that agenda.

Brown’s spokesman‚ Colin Cruywagen‚ confirmed the meeting had taken place, but said Molefe’s payout was not the reason for it.

Eskom has failed to respond to questions since Monday.

Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has received two complaints about Molefe’s huge payment.

“The complaints are being assessed,” a spokesman said.