Pretoria - Former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe will be allowed to finish his testimony before the Zondo Commission on matters related to Eskom.
In January, Molefe’s testimony was disrupted when a staff member on the commission tested positive for Covid-19.
In terms of his latest summons, Molefe must make himself available to answer questions about Transnet, where he was chief executive previously.
However, his supporters suspected that this was done on purpose to protect President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, who Molefe implicated in his first testimony.
Spokesperson for the commission Reverend Mbuyiselo Stemela said no decision had ever been taken to prevent Molefe from appearing to complete his testimony before chairperson Justice Raymond Zondo.
“The commission has listened to the testimonies of many witnesses over the past two and half years who have appeared and reappeared at different times and they are allowed to finish their testimonies.
“If the testimony of a witness is not able to be completed during the one or more appearances and other witnesses are planned to appear, the commission has always been able to shift to those that are planned to appear and are ready to do so,“ Stemela said.
“It has never meant that witnesses who are able to appear but whose appearance is interrupted by one thing or the other are, therefore, excluded from ever having to appear again. There is empirical evidence over the past two and half years that the media may consult to verify.
“The commission intends to complete Molefe’s appearance and he is ready to return to the commission on dates that the commission will announce as usual.
“Molefe’s appearance on Transnet-related matters does not mean that the commission has abandoned his Eskom-related testimony."
Molefe's lawyer Mpholo Molefe of Molaba Attorneys Incorporated had complained that his client was not treated fairly by the commission, and that there was prejudice towards his client.
The lawyer said the commission was conducting “a fishing expedition”. He said some of the things it wanted to ask Molefe about were actually outside of the commission's mandate, such as questions on processes leading to his appointment as an ANC MP.
Molefe would make himself available between March 8 and 12 as requested, said the lawyer, who said he believed Molefe could finish both his testimony on matters relating to both Eskom and Transnet within those five days.
Pretoria News