Outa and the DA have commended Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown for cancelling Eskom’s massive R30 million proposed pension payout to Brian Molefe.

A week ago, a Sunday Times report revealed that Molefe, who left Eskom under a cloud following the release of the Public Protector’s State Capture report in which he was implicated, had received a R30 million golden handshake from the power utility.

This raised concerns from opposition parties who decried the amount, considering Molefe’s controversial career.

Minister Brown yesterday announced her rejection of the payout, stating that Molefe had already received a performance bonus and instructed Eskom to revise the pension payout to a lower amount.

“The decision is commendable, worthy of recognition and sets a precedent by placing an end to the incessant and unnecessary golden handshakes paid to officials – often done at an enormous cost to taxpayers,” Outa said about her decision.

“We would like to see Ms Brown scrutinise and question the Eskom Board’s decision for raising this request in the first place and to hold them accountable for their unacceptable conduct.”

The DA said after the way he left Eskom, Molefe does not deserve the payout.

“The DA calls upon the Eskom board to revert to Minister Brown with a new proposal for Brian Molefe’s golden handshake to be R0.00 Saving over R30 million at Eskom would be a boost to the finances of the utility, at a much-needed time. Eskom continues to be embroiled in a sequence of very alarming scandals, and a full clean up of the entity is needed. We hope that Minister Brown will use the new backbone she has found to reject Molefe’s massive payout, to take actions against other wrongdoing at Eskom too,” the party said.