Stop playing, end the nonsense over Molefe’s reinstatement: Gordhan tells Eskom board

Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan has laid into the Eskom board and Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown‚ telling them to "stop playing" and end the "nonsense" over the reinstatement of Brian Molefe as the utility's CEO.

In his maiden appearance in the public enterprises committee as an ANC backbencher MP since his axing in March‚ Gordhan lashed out at the Eskom board‚ saying their explanations regarding the controversial decision to re-appoint Molefe as CEO simply lacked credibility and they were just arrogant towards the public.

The meeting had been called to discuss the decision to rehire Molefe even though he had resigned from the position to take up a job as an ANC MP.

In a tense four-hour meeting at which Brown and the Eskom board‚ led by chairperson Dr Ben Ngubane‚ struggle to justify Molefe's return in the face of sharp questions from MPs‚ Gordhan said they had simply failed the country.

"The questions are aplenty‚ the answers are all over the show‚ they lack credibility‚" he said.

Gordhan said the Eskom board was living "in oblivion" given they kind of answers they were expecting the public to accept on Molefe saga.

• 'I did not anticipate the level of vitriol' - Brown on withdrawing her opposition to Molefe court casePublic Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown has withdrawn her opposition to a court application by the Democratic Alliance requesting that the reappointment of Eskom CEO Brian Molefe be set aside.

The board reasons had so far been contradictory‚ ranging from "retrenchment" and “resignation" to “retirement"‚ with the latest being that he had been on unpaid leave even though he took oath of office as an MP during that period.

"I don't know if the board is living in a sort of oblivion but the public is connecting the dots‚ members of the board. Increasingly the public is becoming aware of what you are doing or not doing as members of the board.

"They're increasingly becoming aware that you are abusing state property and state resources in the name of yourselves not in the name of the Republic of South Africa.

"That you're part of a conspiracy to capture Eskom for the benefit of a few‚ and that's the reality‚ let's not hide behind technicalities."

MPs from across the political spectrum also expressed shock at ESKOM's decision‚ arguing that it was inconceivable that the power utility's non-executive directors were prepared to do reputational harm to the company‚ "all because of one man".

• Gordhan grills Eskom board in parliamentFormer finance minister Pravin Gordhan grilled Eskom board members on Tuesday as the state company’s directors appeared in parliament to explain the reappointment of Brian Molefe.

But this did not sit well with a visibly irate Ngubane‚ who hit back by saying as the board they had been able to turnaround the finances of Eskom with the help of Molefe.

Ngubane said this is why they wanted him back despite the job having been advertised after his resignation.

"Please‚ the board has worked very hard. South Africa must at least acknowledge that. I don't know why it's so easy to rubbish everything.

"I will defend this board up to the end‚ because I know how hard we've worked‚" he said.

But the ANC's Mondli Gungubele told Ngubane‚ who is also the former chairman of the SABC‚ that this showed his "blasé" attitude as chairman of the board.

"I've listened to you‚ Dr Ngubane. All that you are telling us‚ are the numbers. In other words you are saying (to us) if you've got numbers and money we must shut up‚ what's your problem‚ the balance sheet is okay. That's nonsense‚ you said the same thing about the SABC‚ that when you got there‚ there was no money‚" he said.

The committee has now resolved to hold a full inquiry into the affairs of Eskom‚ including Molefe's reinstatement.

DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen has asked that members of the Gupta family and Molefe be included on the list of witnesses for the parliamentary inquiry‚ due to start in about 21 days.

• Anti-corruption task team investigating Gupta coal dealThe government’s anti-corruption task team (ACTT) is investigating the Eskom coal deal with the Gupta family mentioned in former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s ‘State of Capture’ report.

The ANC said Eskom's submission before parliament was "incoherent and disingenuous to say the least".

"They amount to perjury. The ANC calls on government and Parliament to act decisively to deal with this irrational and untenable situation‚" said spokesman Zizi Kodwa.

Political analyst at the Institute for Security Studies‚ Judith February‚ said the meeting was extraordinary.

"It was extraordinary that Gordhan as an ordinary MP put such overt questions to the Eskom board‚ for instance about their possible relationships with Oakbay. His questions were pointed.

"The board should resign and unfortunately it is not good enough for Brown to shift blame to the board. She exercises oversight over it and should fire the board and she ought to have suggested they not reinstate Molefe."

- TMG Digital/TimesLIVE