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Johannesburg - The ANC's Umkonto We Sizwe Military Veterans has backed former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe for a "government deployment".
The confirmation that former Molefe will be sworn in as a member of parliament, has fueled speculation that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent.
Parliament on Friday confirmed that Molefe will be sworn in after he was nominated by the ANC in the North West province to fill a vacancy in the National Assembly.
ANC insiders have said however a reshuffle was likely to happen after Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan delivers his Budget speech on Wednesday.
READ: Brian Molefe to become an MP
It is not yet clear when Molefe will be officially sworn in as a MP.
"The presiding officers will determine an appropriate date for the swearing in of Mr Molefe," Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said.
Saxonwold shebeen
The Sunday Times reported in January that the nomination for Molefe to be a Member of Parliament paves way for President Jacob Zuma to reshuffle his cabinet at a time his supporters were lobbying for Finance minister Pravin Gordhan to be fired and be replaced by Molefe.
MKMVA Chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe told News 24 that Molefe will “serve the ANC well in whatever capacity in government".
“But the deployment is the prerogative of the president, but wherever he will be deployed he will put the interest of the country first. He understands the ANC and how it wants to deal with the concerns of the people," Maphatsoe said.
Molefe resigned from Eskom in November following public outcry against him following the release of former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report that found he had telephone contact with Ajay Gupta and was in and around the family home in Saxon world.
The report revealed that Molefe and Ajay Gupta had made 58 telephone calls to one another between August 2015 and March 2016.
It also found that he had been at, or in the vicinity of the Gupta’s Saxonwold home on 19 occasions between August 205 and November.
A tearful Molefe dismissed the findings and said during a press conference that his cellphone records merely showed he was in the vicinity of the Gupta home.
"There is a shebeen there, two streets away from the Guptas. I will not admit or deny that I've gone to the shebeen," Molefe said.
However he was ridiculed when the shebeen was not found.
The MKMVA has maintained that the State of Capture report was politically motivated and says Molefe's past experiences including at Treasury, Public Investment Corporation and Transnet bodes well for a government deployment.
"That report was just to deal with the credibility of Brian but he is a good comrade who can serve the country well – wherever he will be deployed," Maphatsoe said.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has faced a sustained onslaught led by the ANC Youth League. It has called for him to be redeployed, accusing him of protecting the interests of white monopoly capital.
