He must first clear name

IN November last year, Brian Molefe resigned as Eskom boss following then public protector Thuli Madonsela’s damning State of Capture report, which linked him to alleged dodgy dealing by the wealthy and politically connected Gupta family.

Molefe wept at a press conference where he denied any wrongdoing and announced he was resigning to clear his name. Many in the public applauded him for taking responsibility and resigning once the allegations emerged.

But soon after he left Eskom, rumours emerged that Molefe would be appointed finance minister to replace the embattled Pravin Gordhan, who is seen as a stumbling block by those wanting unlimited access to the national purse.

On Friday, Parliament announced that Molefe would soon be sworn in as an ANC member of Parliament.

This elicited a wave of public anger and soon divided the ANC. Reports indicate that Madibeng municipality’s Ward 29 branch in Hartbeespoort, where Molefe is alleged to be a member, says it does not know him and that he has never attended any of its meetings. Branch secretary Christina Mululu was quoted as saying they had not nominated him for Parliament.

It also emerged at the weekend that Molefe may have been parachuted to Parliament ahead of other candidates in the North West list. The ANC provincial leadership have rubbished these claims.

Molefe may be sworn in on Wednesday, just moments before Gordhan presents what some say may be his last Budget speech before he is replaced by Molefe in a looming cabinet reshuffle.

But whatever happens now, Molefe’s nomination to Parliament raises many questions about democracy in the ANC, and about the party’s penchant for deploying cadres with a cloud over their heads to Parliament.

Although Molefe’s record in the public service is unquestionable, having led the Public Investment Corporation and turned Eskom around, he still needs to clear his name, as he promised, and to assure the public that he is not in any way linked to the alleged dodgy business dealings of the Gupta family and their associates.

That’s what he promised us as he left Eskom in a huff last year. The ANC nominating Molefe to Parliament before he has cleared his name shows disdain for the public. It does Molefe no good to take this cloud to Parliament or government.

He must clear his name first. That’s what he promised us.