Former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe did not resign but asked for an early retirement package after less than two years at the helm of the power utility‚ a member of the power utility’s board has said.
MOLOFE left Eskom in November last year following the release of the public protector’s State of Capture report. The report made various observations‚ not findings‚ and questioned his relationship with the controversial‚ politically linked Gupta family.
In his statement, Molefe wrote: “I have‚ in the interests of good corporate governance‚ decided to leave my employ at Eskom from January 1 2017.
I do so voluntarily; indeed I wish to pay tribute to the unfailing support I have had since I took up office from the chairperson‚ the board and with those with whom it has been my privilege to work.”
Eskom board spokesperson Khulani Qoma said: “He did not resign; he applied for an early retirement. That is why we were able to reinstate him because he asked for an early retirement and the [Eskom] board granted him that.
Now‚ after going through various options following the [public enterprise] minister’s instruction to the board‚ those options were not mutually agreeable‚ then the board decided to withdraw its early retirement agreement.”
Last month‚ Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown objected to Eskom’s R30 million pension payout to Molefe‚ effectively blocking it.
This decision is being seen as the catalyst for Eskom board’s decision to rescind Molefe’s early retirement application. Brown instructed the power utility’s board to talk to Molefe and report back to her with an “appropriate pension”.
Courtesy of Tiso Black Star Group
