State capture-era bosses Brian Molefe, Lucky Montana and Siyabonga Gama sworn in as MPs

Former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana and former Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama – all of whom have been implicated in the Zondo Commission of inquiry or faced fraud and corruption charged relating to the state-owned enterprises they once led – were sworn in as MPs this afternoon.

Molefe has been embroiled in various court cases, and is charged with contravention of the Public Finance Management Act and fraud involving R398.4 million.  A trial date is due to be set on 1 October.

Gama was arrested in 2022 facing charges of corruption and money laundering along with three other former Transnet executives.

The Zondo Commission of inquiry found that Montana was instrumental in determining which service providers would receive major tenders  during the state capture era at Prasa.  He in turn accused the inquiry of becoming a 'witch hunt'.  He has not been charged.

On Wednesday, a total of eight people belonging to the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party were sworn in, and two from the EFF. 

Daily Maverick reported at the beginning of the month that MK party removed 15 MPs to make way for the likes of Molefe. 

Read more: Zuma’s MK party ousts 15 MPs in rapid shake-up, sparking allegations of cronyism

The axed MPs have approached the Western Cape Division of the High Court, seeking to reverse their recent expulsions from Parliament. Some of them left their jobs to join the MK party, and now their lives have been negatively affected. 

The case will be back in court on Tuesday next week. 

Read more: Fired MK party MPs appeal to court to reverse ‘orchestrated’ expulsion

The new MK party MPs also include Mzwanele Jimmy Manyi, who is returning to the National Assembly after he ditched the EFF seat for the MK party, Thembisile Mjadu, Nompumelelo Gasa, Gezani Kobane and Thulani Gamede. 

Floyd Shivambu, who recently joined the MK party from the EFF, is not included in the list. The MK party still has seven unfilled seats as it removed 15 MPs. 

Read more: Shivambu gets key role as national organiser – MK party announces National High Command

The Comrades who will be sworn in @ParliamentofRSA today on behalf of @MkhontoweSizwex are a clear and emphantic demonstration that the Movement( MKP) is serious about an alternate revolutionary government and quality public representation. Best wishes Comrades BM, SG, LM, MM,… pic.twitter.com/my64CiHYGD

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) August 28, 2024

The two new EFF MPs are also not new in the house. Sinawo Thambo, who replaces Shivambu, was an MP in the previous administration but did not return as the EFF lost votes. Nazier Paulsen, who replaces Manyi, is a senior EFF member who also did not return as the EFF was reduced in numbers by five MPs after a drop in votes between the 2019 and 2024 elections. 

Molefe returns

Molefe, while at Eskom, was also linked to the politically connected Gupta family in the public protector’s State of Capture report. It listed 19 phone calls between August and November 2015 to the Gupta family’s Saxonwold, Johannesburg, home plus another 58 phone calls to a Gupta business associate from August 2015 to March 2016. This contact came at a time when the Guptas’ Tegeta Exploration and Resources company was acquiring the Optimum coal mine. Ultimately, the deal involved a R600-million pre-payment from Eskom for future coal deliveries to the power utility.

He resigned from Eskom in November 2016. He also resigned from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) board the following year. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Long wait for state capture cases to come to court 

Molefe went on to become ANC MP under Jacob Zuma in 2017, and he returns on the card of the same person now. He resigned a few months later after stating in court papers that he was on unpaid leave while being an MP.  DM