Public Protector must investigate decision on Molefe R30 million ‘golden handshake’

The Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, has taken exception to the statement released yesterday and accused the DA of spreading false information and leaking confidential information.

It is a fact that the Minister ordered the money to be repaid. However, we do not know if this has happened and indeed, the DA believes that the Public Protector must, in any event, investigate the circumstances in which the Eskom Board came to the decision to pay former Eskom CEO, Brian Molefe, the R30 million ‘golden handshake’.

On the face of it, this constitutes an abuse of public power if not an attempt at the unlawful enrichment of Mr Molefe.

If indeed Mr Molefe has paid back the R30 million, then we will gladly retract the call for him to do so.

With respect to the allegations of leaking confidential correspondence, we would respectfully request the Public Protector to advise us which provisions of law she believes the DA have breached in relation to the correspondence released yesterday. We can find no infringement of the Public Protector Act.

The office of the Public Protector has a vitally important role to play in investigating serious abuses of public power and the DA is always willing to support the office in doing so.

Statement issued by Natasha Mazzone MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Enterprises, 26 July 2017