The intrigue surrounding the impending swearing-in of former Eskom chief executive officer Brian Molefe as an MP deepened when City Press learnt that an ANC MP, Abram Mudau, was pushed to resign from Parliament so that Molefe could come in as a replacement.
The ANC in North West had also claimed that they nominated Molefe because he belonged to a branch in Madibeng in that province.
But leaders of the branch in Ward 29 in Hartbeespoort yesterday denied that he was on its books.
Several sources told City Press that Molefe’s alleged branch membership was a concoction to justify parachuting him to Parliament, despite the fact that he didn’t appear on any provincial list of ANC members in line to be deployed.
It is widely speculated that President Jacob Zuma wants to appoint Molefe as a minister or deputy minister, possibly in the finance or energy departments, during an anticipated Cabinet reshuffle.
The branch leaders insisted that Molefe was not known in ANC structures in North West as he was from Pretoria, despite owning a property in Hartbeespoort.
A branch office bearer confirmed to City Press that Molefe had never been an active member in that branch.
“It is not true. We only learnt about him being in this branch through statements. We don’t know him.”
This was corroborated by another senior ANC member in the province.
“I can tell you that the provincial executive committee (PEC) has a tendency of manipulating processes. It is fraud and corruption. But we know that his membership will be imposed by the PEC on that ward after the fact.”
However, ANC North West secretary Dakota Legoete said: