"I have, in the interests of good corporate governance, decided to leave my employ at Eskom from 1 January 2017," wrote Brian Molefe (pictured), CEO of Eskom, in a statement released today regarding his decision to leave the company. "I do so voluntarily: indeed, I wish to pay tribute to the unfailing support I have had since I took up office from the chairman, the Board and with those with whom it has been my privilege to work. Together we brought Eskom back from the brink. I will take time off to reflect before I decide on my next career move."
In a series of Twitter posts this afternoon, Khulu Phasiwe, Eskom spokesperson confirmed that Molefe had quit, adding that Molefe's stepping down was "not an act of admission of wrongdoing on his part".
Molefe was brought under the spotlights this past week by way of former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's State Capture report, which painted him as having a close relationship with the controversial Gupta family and also questioned the sale of Glencore's Optimum mine to Tegeta.
Molefe's letter of resignation further read:
"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. I shall dedicate myself to showing that an injustice has been done by the precipitate delivery of 'observations', following an incomplete investigation, which the former Public Protector has drawn back from calling 'findings'. The truth will out I go now, because it is in the interests of Eskom and the public it serves, that I do so."
The Public Protector also investigated the role of Eskom CFO Anoj Singh, who followed previously worked with Molefe at Transnet. Anoj is winner of no less than four CFO Awards in 2014 and 2015.
