Eskom said on Wednesday that it had successfully recovered R30-million that it “unlawfully” paid its pension fund for the benefit of its disgraced former CEO, Brian Molefe.
The state-owned power utility paid the money to the Eskom Pension & Provident Fund (EPPF) in 2016.
“In July 2022, the north Gauteng high court reaffirmed a 2018 high court judgment that had reviewed and set aside a 2016 early retirement agreement between Mr Molefe and Eskom,” the company said.
“In terms of the agreement, Eskom paid to the EPPF approximately R30-million to boost Mr Molefe’s early retirement pension payout.”
Molefe quit Eskom under a cloud in November 2016 following a report by former public protector Thuli Madonsela into the influence of the Gupta family over the state and the power utility.
Molefe, who joined Eskom in April 2015, was accused in the report of favouring the Gupta family, which was in business with President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, by handing out coal supply contracts and helping them buy Optimum Coal, Bloomberg News reported at the time.
Read: Brian Molefe must pay back the money
“I am confident that, when the time comes, I will be able to show that I have done nothing wrong and that my name will be cleared,” Molefe said in a statement at the time of his resignation.
Read: Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh arrested as NPA pounces
At a briefing a week before his exit, Molefe wept openly as he said there was “no basis” to Madonsela’s findings. The former public protector’s report led ultimately to the creation of the Zondo commission into state capture. – © 2022 NewsCentral Media
