ANC in North West defends its decision to send Molefe to Parliament

The ANC in North West has defended its decision to successfully push for former Eskom boss Brian Molefe’s elevation to Parliament following accusations that his ascendancy is dubious.

Former ANC North West deputy chairman China Dodovu‚ in a statement this weekend‚ challenged Molefe’s impending swearing-in as an MP from the province because “he is neither a resident of the North West nor his ANC membership is in North West”.

• Brian ‘Saxonwold Shabeen’ Molefe unfit for Parliament: DAThe Democratic Alliance says that former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe is unfit to be a Member of Parliament‚ referring to him as an “ethically compromised Zupta buddy with corruption clouds hanging over his head”. 

“The current ANC leaders in the North West know that Brian Molefe is not a resident of the North West. He never served in the ANC structures in North West. The national leaders know this too. But as to why they are setting such a bad precedence [sic] unseen and unknown in the ANC remains a mystery‚” wrote Dodovu in a statement.

Dodovu‚ also a former MEC for local government in North West‚ was suspended in 2013 and subsequently dismissed from his position in the ANC after being implicated in a plot to murder the late Kenneth Kaunda regional secretary Oubuti Chika.

• Molefe as MP seen as a bid to oust finance minister GordhanFormer Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe will soon be sworn in as an MP - a move that is likely to fuel speculation about a pending reshuffle of President Jacob Zuma's Cabinet. 

Dodovu‚ along with former ANC North West secretary Kabelo Mataboge had a massive falling out with current provincial Chairman and Premier Supra Mahumapelo in the run-up to the ruling party’s elective conference in Bloemfontein‚ Free State in 2012.

Dodovu and Mataboge were supporters of former ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe’s bid to oust incumbent President Jacob Zuma‚ who had the backing of Mahumapelo. Mataboge has since been pardoned by the ANC.

• Ex-Eskom chief Molefe to be sworn in a MP‚ suggesting Cabinet reshuffleFormer Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe will soon be sworn in as an MP - a move that is likely to fuel speculation about a pending reshuffle of President Jacob Zuma's Cabinet. 

A statement from provincial ANC secretary Dakota Legoete claimed that Molefe is a member of the Ward 29 Madibeng sub-region in Brits‚ North West. “It is disappointing that even some within the ANC‚ such as former ANC Bokone Bophirima Deputy Provincial Chairperson‚ Cde China Dodovu‚ spread the falsehood that Cde Brian is not a member of ANC in our province or a resident of Bokone Bophirima.

For the record‚ Cde Brian is an ANC member in good standing of Ward 29 in Hartebeespoortdam in Madibeng Local Municipality‚” Dakota said.

“Many people know Cde Brian as a former Eskom Chief Executive Officer (CEO)‚ but we in the ANC and in particular the ANC in Bokone Bophirima‚ know him as a fellow hardworking comrade who’s committed to contributing to the success of this democracy.

We in the ANC Bokone Bophirima have got faith in Cde Brian and believe that once sworn in as MP‚ he will make a huge contribution to Parliament of South Africa.” While the authenticity of Molefe’s residential status appears in question‚ he is said to own several properties in Hartebeespoortdam.

Parliament confirmed on Friday that Molefe had been nominated to fill a vacancy on the North West list of ANC Members of Parliament‚ “which is depleted". His swearing-in would make him eligible to be appointed to Zuma's Cabinet.

Speculation is rife that Zuma's backers want Molefe to replace Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. Such a move would have the support of the ANC Youth League‚ which on Friday called for Gordhan's removal.

The league accuses Gordhan of shielding “white monoply capital” at the expense of “radical economic transformation”. The youth league‚ emerging from a national executive committee meeting this week‚ called for “restructuring of treasury administration and management starting with the re-deployment of comrade Pravin Gordhan”.

TMG Digital/Sunday Times