Former Eskom boss Brian Molefe has broken his silence since he was appointed an ANC MP last week, saying there is no cloud hanging over his head.
Molefe told the Cape Times yesterday former public protector advocate Thuli Madonsela had rushed her report without giving him an opportunity to respond to the allegations against him.
Molefe’s arrival in Parliament last week caused ructions among opposition MPs.
He was sworn in amid questions over the public protector’s report.
But yesterday he said he had done nothing wrong, and that the report had ruined his career. He resigned from Eskom last year.
“The public protector’s report does not have findings. The public protector does not accuse anyone of anything,” said Molefe, adding that what was contained in the report were observations by the public protector.
It did not pronounce guilt on any person. He insisted that Madonsela did not make any findings against him or anyone else.
He said a lot of people had said and written many things about him based on the observations of the report.
Asked whether he would take it on review, he said he would wait for the commission of inquiry, if it was appointed by President Jacob Zuma.
This was based on the legal advice he had received.
“The legal advice was to wait for the commission of inquiry, because the public protector made specific recommendations.”
Molefe said, however, he did not know if it was possible for the public protector to instruct Zuma to appoint a commission of inquiry.
He said he left Eskom be- cause of the report. “That report made me believe the public opinion would not be good for Eskom,” he said.
He added that the report had damaged his career.
“The problem with a lot of people is that if you are black you are guilty until you are proven innocent. I am not guilty of anything,” he said.
He added that Madonsela had not given him a chance to clear his name. “My biggest gripe is that the public protector did not hear me,” he said.
He was still caught in a situation where his name had not been cleared because of the report.
Molefe’s appointment to Parliament had been a subject of speculation for weeks until it was confirmed by the national legislature. He was sworn in in the Speaker’s office on Thursday.
But opposition parties were unhappy about his arrival in the national legislature and hurled insults at him. They said he did not deserve to be in the House because of the public protector’s report.
After the swearing in, he joined the sitting of the House, where opposition MPs questioned his appointment by the ANC, saying he was not suitable to hold a seat in the National Assembly.