Molefe’s ascent ‘a reminder of apartheid’s last gasp’

Taking to Facebook to share on article on his website BizNews, financial journalist Alec Hogg wrote that “Ascension to Parliament by disgraced former Eskom CEO and Zupta ‘asset’ Brian Molefe sparks memories of the last years of Apartheid.

“Even after money ran out as a Border War drained the coffers and foreigners cut off credit, political leadership refused to accept the inevitable.

“It took a stroke to remove President PW Botha, with a subsequent change in leadership opening the road to a negotiated settlement.

“Dozens of historical examples and the modern-day disasters in Syria, Zimbabwe and Venezuela tell us human beings find it very hard to relinquish it. Especially those who risk being censured for their criminality.

“The most important fact for South Africa today is that President Jacob Zuma doesn’t fancy the idea of going to jail. There are already 783 corruption charges on the table and dozens more that can be added to them the day he leaves the Union Buildings.

“So for as long as Zuma is allowed to control the State’s levers of power, he will apply them for his own ends.”

He finished by saying: “Yesterday’s news of Molefe heading for Parliament is a precursor to another Gupta raid on SA’s national assets. The Zupta strategy is so transparent you can almost see the bags of swag heading for Dubai. The big question now is whether the majority of South Africans care enough to do anything about it.”

The article he linked to was a comment by veteran political editor Donwald Pressley that it seems likely Molefe will first become the deputy finance minister (replacing the embattled Mcebisi Jonas), before eventually ascending to being the finance minister himself.

This gradual step towards controlling Treasury is being viewed by some analysts as a more reliable manner to “capture” the state, since the attempt to make another Gupta associate, Des van Rooyen, the finance minister, had backfired badly at the end of 2015 due to its unexpectedness and abruptness.