Mantashe: NEC wants Brown to rescind Molefe’s Eskom appointment

Secretary-general of the ANC Gwede Mantashe told the media during this afternoon’s post-national executive committee (NEC) media briefing that the minister of public enterprises, Lynne Brown was told to “rescind Molefe’s redeployment to the power utility”.

Molefe returned to the post he vacated in December 2016 citing “good corporate governance”. The Eskom board told the portfolio committee on public enterprises that Molefe never resigned and was on extended leave. He, bizarrely, took an oath of office as an MP, in violation of the constitution, in the interim.

At pains to explain that the NEC was not prescriptive towards Brown on how to resolve the issue, Mantashe said the meeting did not resolve that Brown must withdraw her court case.

“We said to the minister resolve the issue before it gets to court. We cannot prescribe to the minister. We are not supportive of judicial overreach, but sometimes it can be a function of omission and commissions on our part. Once the court instructs, you will say it is juridical review,” Mantashe told the media.

Secretary General of the ANC Gwede Mantashe speaks to the media during a press conference at Albert Luthuli House in Johannesburg on 29 May 2017. The conference comes after a weekend meeting of the NEC in which the possible recall of President Jacob Zuma was discussed. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia

He also revealed that the NEC meeting “accepted the proposal tabled in the political report to institute the establishment of a commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture”.

However, a decision was made to investigate state capture as far back as 1994 and not only focus on the Guptas.

“The NEC agrees that the president must establish a commission of inquiry. What we are interested in doing is to understand the depth of the involvement of business in influencing government. It goes deeper than what is in the public protector report,” Mantashe said.

READ MORE:  ‘Molefe timed his Eskom departure for financial gain’

He reiterated that the president was empowered in terms of the constitution to appoint such a commission and his powers could not be tempered because we are “suspicious of the incumbent”.

Mantashe also told the media that the NEC had asked both the president and other interested parties to “accelerate” their court application for a judicial review so the process was not seen as a delay tactic against the establishment of the commission of inquiry.

Answering the question on why 1994 was the starting point when state capture was supposedly a more recent matter, Mantashe said it was “because if I am captured by someone else than the Guptas, I am not better off than those captured by the Guptas”.

“The ANC will be a better organisation if we find out who has been captured since 1994.”

Mantashe warned ANC MPs that there would be dire consequences for those planning to support the opposition’s motion of no confidence in Zuma when it is tabled in parliament.

“The NEC affirmed its confidence on cadres deployed as MPs. Whether a secret ballot is granted or not, MPs will be expected to vote in line with ANC instructions,” he said.

Those who contradict the three-whip line on the day, Mantashe further warned, could be disciplined in terms of Rule 25(17) of the ANC.

ANC branches, Mantashe reported, are now allowed to discuss the names of cadres they would like to nominate using “the eye of the needle” as a framework. He said that nominations would officially open in September.

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http://https://www.citizen.co.za/news/news-national/anc-wants-govt-deal-brian-molefes-return-eskom/

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