Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane will in about a month give a progress report into her investigation into a fat pension payout which disgraced former Eskom boss Brian Molefe was set to receive.
In a letter confirming to the DA that she was probing the matter, Mkhwebane said she was looking into allegations of improper and irregular payment of the pension running into millions.
When Molefe left the power utility after 18 months at the helm, he was set to be given a pension payout of R30million. But Public Enterprise Minister Lynne Brown was forced to put the brakes on the golden handshake after a public outcry.
Molefe left his position as Eskom's chief executive and went to serve as an ANC member of Parliament in the wake of then-public protector Thuli Madonsela's report, which questioned his links to the Guptas.
Molefe is embroiled in a Labour Court case to get his job back. Yesterday Mkhwebane’s spokesperson, Cleopatra Mosana, told Independent Media that they were investigating Brown's role and that of the Eskom board.
Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe said: “Essentially we are willing to co-operate with any investigation into Eskom. We see this as an opportunity to clarify issues and get down to issues engulfing Eskom.”
Molefe didn't respond to phone calls and messages.
DA shadow minister of public enterprise Natasha Mazzone said: “This outrageous payout is a gross abuse of public funds, especially after Molefe resigned 'in the interests of good corporate governance' after his close ties to the Guptas were revealed in the damning 'State of Capture' report."
Mazzone said the payout was even more unfair because Eskom is in dire financial straits.
“It is unacceptable that an individual such as Molefe is rewarded not for doing a good job for the people of our country, but is paid millions for serving the interests of one family.”