ANC: ‘Brown and Eskom statements on Molefe amount to perjury’

Brown and Eskom chairman Ben Ngubane briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises on Brian Molefe’s return as Eskom CEO.

Molefe left the power utility after he was named in the Public Protector’s State of Capture report.

Brown told the committee that at the time, she believed that Molefe resigned.

“I said I was sad to see him go but I wish him well with his resignation. I did believe there was a resignation. Between 2014’s MOI and the 2016 MOI his employment there is about a three months difference and the court will have to weigh on this and make a decision,” she said

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa says Molefe himself confirmed his resignation from Eskom.

“According to the incoherent version tabled today, Mr. Molefe had never resigned from ESKOM but rather was on unpaid leave. This is in direct contradiction to Mr. Molefe's own statement when he left the utility, where he said ‘I have, in the interests of good corporate governance, decided to leave my employ at Eskom from 1 January 2017. I do so voluntarily...’” says Kodwa.

Kodwa says in the letter announcing Matshela Koko’s appointment as CEO of Eskom in 2016, Brown also spoke of Molefe’s resignation.

“On the strength of the representations from the minister and Molefe, the ANC acceded to his nomination as a Member of Parliament because he had resigned.”

Kodwa says the ANC is calling on Government and Parliament to deal with matter decisively .