Brian Molefe is not suitable to be an MP due to his threats and racism toward Transnet pensioners

20 February 2017  

The FF Plus strongly objects to the unethical deployment of Brian Molefe as MP, not only because of his alleged ties to the Guptas, but also because he had previously, as chief executive of Transnet, insulted struggling Transnet pensioners and threatened them, Adv. Anton Alberts, FF Plus parliamentary spokesperson on Transport, said.

 Adv. Alberts says the FF Plus had already in May 2014 submitted a complaint about this to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) – one of the many complaints against politicians, in a certain sphere of influence, of which nothing is done.

 He said Molefe made the comments due to the class action court case of 67 000 impoverished Transnet pensioners against Transnet, which started in May 2014.

 The claim of R79 billion, which is the largest civil claim in South Africa’s legal history, is still dragging on.

 Molefe had according to media reports said, amongst others, at the time that pensioners are the “beneficiaries of apartheid who are not entitled to claim any compensation”.

 After pensioners had participated in a march to the Union Building, Molefe apparently said: “If they (the pensioners) want to take the revolution further in the streets, they just have to say so”.

 “The comments Molefe made of people of all races who live in dire circumstances due to the stripping of the assets of their pension fund, and who merely asked that which was owed to them, were, and remain unacceptable.

“During his time at Transnet, Molefe did nothing to rectify the situation and to try to negotiate a better life for the pensioners. To the contrary, under his watch, more people were appointed to Transnet with close ties to the Gupta family, such as Stanley Shane (former chairperson of Transnet’s acquisitions and disposals committee).

 “It is speculated that Molefe could at the very least be appointed as deputy minister of finance, which will in effect mean that he will be the chairperson of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), and will therefore be able to influence where the capital of the PIC is invested. Once again the wolf will be put in charge of the hen house.

 “Given Molefe’s background in the Transnet pension saga, his comments made about pensioners and his Gupta ties, as pointed out in the PPs report, the FF Plus strongly objects to his presence in parliament as an MP,” Adv. Alberts said.

Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus parliamentary spokesperson: Transport, 20 February 2017