Brian Molefe to Return to Eskom Position

South African power utility Eskom has confirmed Friday morning that its disgraced former CEO, Brian Molefe, will return to his position on Monday.

Molefe resigned from Eskom in January following the Saxonwold Shebeen scandal, in which he was implicated in former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on ‘State Capture’… for allegedly having close ties to the Gupta Family. He laughed off the allegations – based on his phone records – claiming he had been in the vicinity of the Gupta’s residence in Saxonwold on several occasions because there had been a shebeen in the area.

In February he was controversially sworn in as an ANC Member of Parliament.

Last month Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown rejected Eskom’s proposal to pay Molefe a R30-million pension pay-out. The Eskom Board therefore says it has decided to rescind his application for early retirement as it was unable to agree with him “on a mutually beneficial pension proposal”.

Molefe has reportedly resigned from parliament, and – according to Eskom spokesperson, Khulani Qoma – Eskom is excited to welcome him back knowing his capabilities. Molefe’s contract, which ends in 2020, has been reinstated.

Qoma told local reporters that Molefe had never actually resigned, but asked for early retirement. He said: “The rescinding of this retirement package triggers his reinstatement by law… The board had to then negotiate with him and he agreed to come back and welcomes coming back to finish the job that he started.”

Some rumours on Twitter:

I was always cynical about that teary resignation. Now that the finance minister gig didn't materialize the whole scheme becomes apparent.

— Songezo Zibi (@SongezoZibi) May 12, 2017

Couldn't push him in as Finance Minister. Couldn't manoeuvre a R30mil payout. Let's just give him his old job back and jimmy some tenders.

— Mandy Wiener (@MandyWiener) May 12, 2017