Court battle over life of Eskom Brian inevitable

A court battle over the reinstatement of Eskom group chief executive Brian Molefe is inevitable.

Economic Freedom Front leader Julius Malema said on Friday the party will definitely be heading to court.

Corruption Watch‚ which is considering its legal options‚ has expressed its outrage over the Molefe decision in letters to Brown and Ben Ngubane‚ chairperson of the Eskom board.

• Molefe innocent till proven guilty‚ says Minister BrownMinister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown says newly reinstated Eskom CEO Brian Molefe remains innocent until he is proven guilty. 

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) called on Brown to “use or apply any/all powers that you have in order to reverse this decision”.

Outa has given Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown until 5pm Friday to answer various questions regarding Molefe’s reinstatement. It asked the minister clarify:

Whether Molefe had effectively been reinstated;

Whether he had been appointed anew; and

Whether the minister approved it and‚ if so‚ to provide evidence of the process followed to reinstate him.

“As a result of our requests above‚ we hereby demand that you reverse and/or halt the decision to appoint Mr Molefe as the CEO of Eskom. Failure to receive your response to the demands as set out above by 5pm‚ we reserve our rights to approach the court for the appropriate relief‚” the statement read.

• Parliament to discuss Eskom‚ Gupta’s Tegeta coal mine and dodgy dealsThemba Godi‚ chairperson of Parliament's Standing Committee on Public‚ said parliament will discuss corruption in contracts involving Eskom and the Gupta family’s mining company‚ Tegeta. 

Corruption Watch has demanded copies of correspondence between Ngubane‚ Molefe and Brown that pertains to the decision.

Brown said on Friday afternoon that she supports the board’s proposal to reinstate Molefe CEO because it presented “a better value proposition for the South African fiscus” - provided it was legal.