Former Mines Minister Claims Eskom’s Molefe Tried Pressuring Him to Help Guptas
Former South African Minister of Mineral Resources Ngoako Ramatlhodi claimed on Tuesday that Eskom’s CEO, Brian Molefe, and chairman Ben Ngubane, had tried to persuade him in 2015 to suspend Glencore’s mining licences… in an attempt to pressurise Glencore into selling a coal mine… and help the controversial Gupta Family take over the mine. Ramatlhodi told […]
Former South African Minister of Mineral Resources Ngoako Ramatlhodi claimed on Tuesday that Eskom’s CEO, Brian Molefe, and chairman Ben Ngubane, had tried to persuade him in 2015 to suspend Glencore’s mining licences… in an attempt to pressurise Glencore into selling a coal mine… and help the controversial Gupta Family take over the mine.
Ramatlhodi told Amabhungane that he was invited to a meeting with the two men, by Ngubane, where “they insisted that I must suspend all the Glencore mining licences” unless they paid a penalty of over R2-billion, but that he refused to do so (partly because it would have further contributed to the load shedding debacle at the time).
Glencore went on to sell its Optimum coal mine to South’s Tegeta Exploration and Resources, which is controlled by… the Gupta’s! (This features in former Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report.)
Ramatlhodi was moved from Mines Minister to Public Service and Administration shortly afterwards, and in March this year President Jacob Zuma removed him from his Cabinet in the infamous midnight Cabinet Reshuffle.
Eskom Board’s spokesperson Khulani Qoma denied the allegations, saying:
“It makes absolutely no sense that a mere Chairman and GCE can exert ‘pressure’ on a sitting minister in an effort to subordinate him to their will.
“This is a desperate allegation, devoid of logic, and all fair-minded citizens will find it impossible to believe it. In the desperation to drive these outlandish allegations, the President’s name will always be used.
“Did Amabhungane bother to find out why he waited so long before he went public with his allegations or you are interested in the sensational nature of the allegations made?
“All the matters raised by the State of Capture report have not been probed and therefore citing these as though they are legally legitimate, the requirement for a constitutional democracy, is absurd and dangerous.
“Also important to note that the Public Protector failed to ask for Molefe’s version, which is in contravention of the Public Protector’s Act.”
Ngubane told reporters Tuesday that Ramatlhodi’s Gupta claims are “preposterous” (watch below).