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<\/a><\/p>\nOutside of Parliament, civil group Save SA said that South Africans should rally against Molefe’s appointment, adding that he should have been punished, rather than ‘promoted’.<\/p>\n
“Brian Molefe\u2019s appointment as a Member of Parliament is proof that President Jacob Zuma\u2019s administration does not punish corrupt conduct,” said Save South Africa’s Lawson Naidoo in a statement.<\/p>\n
Molefe’s nomination by the North West province has been mired in controversy, with former branch leaders claiming to have no knowledge of Molefe’s membership.<\/p>\n
He resigned as Eskom CEO after being implicated in former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela\u2019s State of Capture report.<\/p>\n
The report contained phone call records, showing that Molefe and the Gupta brothers had made 58 phone calls to each other in a small window of time.<\/p>\n
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Read:\u00a0Eskom CEO Brian Molefe implicated in state capture report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n This was over and above allegations contained in the report that the Gupta family had received preferential treatment by Eskom, and were even \u2018bailed out\u2019 by the power utility, where Eskom funded the family\u2019s acquisition of Optimum coal mines.<\/p>\n “If the public does not voice and demonstrate their total opposition to this appointment, then Molefe\u2019s handlers may soon have unfettered access to the public purse,” said Naidoo.<\/p>\n Naidoo said Molefe was just one step away from being a Cabinet minister.<\/p>\n It has been speculated that Molefe is being primed to replace an official in the finance ministry in the next Cabinet reshuffle – either replacing finance minister Pravin Gordhan,\u00a0his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas.<\/p>\n Analysts have been expecting a reshuffle for a number of months, but understood that the process had been delayed because president Jacob Zuma wanted Molefe to move into a more prominent position \u2013 however he needed to be elected as an MP first.<\/p>\n Now that he has been elected as an MP, all eyes will be on the president as to where Molefe will fit into the picture.<\/p>\n “Molefe\u2019s appointment marks a potential turning point for the state capture project,” he said.<\/p>\n The lobby group said it would support protests organised by other organisations, in the interest of building a broader front against state capture.<\/p>\n “South Africa has not forgotten the reasons Molefe gave when he quit Eskom on 11 November 2016. He told South Africans he was leaving in the interests of good corporate governance,” Naidoo said.<\/p>\n
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