I've done nothing wrong, insists Molefe

Brian Molefe

Brian Molefe

Published Feb 27, 2017

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Cape Town – Newly sworn in ANC MP Brian Molefe believes former public protector Thuli Madonsela trampled on his rights by compiling a report which had no findings.

Molefe said he remained innocent as he did nothing wrong.

Speaking to Independent Media on Monday, Molefe, who was Eskom chief executive until late last year when the report on state capture was released, said he has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing.

Opposition parties in Parliament have rejected the ANC’s decision to appoint Molefe as its MP. They said he was not suitable to hold a position in any public institution.

However, Molefe said Madonsela never gave him a chance to respond to the report. She found that he had made several cellphone calls to one of the Gupta brothers.

But Molefe said he has not been given a chance to clear his name.

“With those phone records the public protector did not confront me. We have not seen those phone records,” he said.

“When Chapter 9 institutions trample on other people’s rights what is the remedy. My concern is that people are jumping onto the bandwagon and throwing petrol into the fire,” said Molefe.

He said he did not even get a chance to question some of the witnesses who appeared before Madonsela to give evidence. He felt his hands were tied because it was his word against that of the public protector.

He said the lawyers were working on the report to decide whether to take it on review or not.

However, that would depend on whether President Jacob Zuma appoints a commission of inquiry into state capture. This is one of the bones of contention by Zuma in his challenge to the report.

Zuma has said he was not sure if a public protector can instruct a president on the process to be followed in appointing a commission of inquiry.

In her report, Madonsela had said Zuma must ask Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to select a judge that would head the commission. Zuma has said only the president was allowed to institute an inquiry and appoint judges to serve on it.

Molefe said he was not guilty of anything.

There was a row in Parliament last week when Speaker Baleka Mbete officially announced the appointment of Molefe to Parliament. EFF MP Moses Dlamini hurled insults at Molefe, leading to Mbete warning him that she would review the records of proceedings, and might take action against him.

Molefe was expected back in the National Assembly today, where Parliament will process several reports.

Political Bureau

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