DA slams Molefe’s MP post, says parly now ‘a dumping ground’ for ‘Saxonwold shebeen’

The possibility of former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe’s appointment as minister of finance has been brought closer with his nomination by the North West ANC on to its list of parliamentarians to the National Assembly.

The development came on the same day the ANC Youth League called for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to be redeployed and a new replacement be appointed, which has led to widespread speculation Molefe is being lined up for the post.

Parliament announced on Friday Molefe was nominated by the provincial ANC to fill a vacancy after its provincial-to-national list was depleted.

The news came weeks after ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said if Molefe was to be appointed to any Cabinet position as speculated at the time, he has to be nominated onto the provincial-to-national list or national-to-national list of candidates.

The ANC in North West has done exactly as explained by Mantashe and put the controversial Eskom boss on its list, thereby opening the way for him to be appointed as a minister.

READ MORE: Brian Molefe to become MP

Molefe resigned from Eskom in November, following corruption allegations made in the public protector’s report, State of Capture.

The report found there had been several instances of communication between Molefe, the Gupta family and Nazeem Howa, MD of Oakbay Investments, the controlling company of the Gupta empire.

Molefe also crossed swords with Gordhan, who accused Molefe of failing to cooperate in and undermining a National Treasury review of coal contracts concluded between Eskom and Tegeta.

The DA charged Molefe with corruption, following the release of the report.

Political analyst Daniel Silke said with all the allegations facing Molefe, he did not see Molefe being appointed finance minister any time soon.

“I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion at all. There are far too many legal question marks hanging over his head,” said Silke.

Chief Whip of the DA John Steenhuisen said Molefe’s appointment, which could see him sitting as an MP before even the budget announcement next week, was inappropriate but a “complete gift” to the opposition.

“It’s quite staggering … The ANC finds it is appropriate to use parliament as a dumping ground for the Saxonwold shebeen.”

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