Transnet chief executive Brian Molefe has restored some confidence in the utility while acting as chief executive.
As Pravin Gordhan delivers his budget speech this afternoon, it is perhaps South African politics’ worst kept secret that President Jacob Zuma is hostile towards the finance minister as talk of Gordhan being sacked intensifies. It seems that the ANC is paving the way for former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe to replace Gordhan.
Parliament announced on Friday that Molefe will be sworn in as an MP, after being nominated by the ANC in North West province in spite of confusion over which branch he belongs to.
The former Eskom chief executive resigned when he was implicated in the public protector’s State of Capture report that suggested he had strong ties with the Gupta family, despite denying any wrongdoing.
There are reports of a purging of staff in the ANC North West Madibeng branch over its attempt to accommodate Molefe as MP.
According to City Press, several leaders of the Madibeng branch denied their role in Molefe’s nomination and claim to have never even met Molefe.
Alfred Mudau, who served as an MP for more than two years, is alleged to be the sacrificial lamb in a campaign that is determined to make Molefe MP.
Mudau dismissed this allegation, saying the rumours of him being fired to accommodate Molefe are new to him.
“Let us get one thing straight, I resigned as MP. I was not sacked. I have been sick from 2004 and I made the ANC aware of this fact late last year and we began to make arrangements for my stepping down this year. This was not news to them because they knew that this was coming. I do not understand how these rumours came about,” Mudau told the Mail & Guardian.
“I hear stories about me being removed for Brian on the radio and they are not true and I know nothing about them. My stepping down was an act of self-care and nothing to do with Brian. I stepped down for my own health. Nothing else,” he continued.
And two other ANC branches are also claiming Molefe as being a member, according to Business Day. Irene in Tshwane and the Bazooka Mpetsheni branch on the West Rand in Johannesburg. ANC members cannot belong to more than one branch.