Former Public Enterprises Minister, Lynne Brown has described to the State Capture Commission her understanding of how Richard Seleke was appointed as the Department’s Director-General in 2015.
Brown says Seleke was chosen after those who were originally shortlisted did not meet the criteria. Seleke left the Public Enterprises Department in 2018 – after reaching a settlement on his exit.
Brown elaborates on Seleke’s appointment. “We had many applicants for the job, but there were no people or nun close enough fit for us to appoint a DG for the department. It was largely to do with no understanding of the public service, no understanding of SOEs. The advert went out for a second time. Ms. Mokololo actually withdrew her nomination. We met as that group of ministers and we made a decision for Richard Seleke.”
Commission hears Eskom related testimony: Lynne Brown
Brown, who served under former President Jacob Zuma from 2014 until she was fired in 2018, had previously denied playing a role in enabling State Capture at state-owned enterprises.
“Info portal one” email
Ms Brown has denied personally knowing that the “info portal one” email address belonged to Gupta-linked associate Salim Essa. She tells the Commission that she was not aware of CV’s of people who were considered to serve in various SOE boards under her portfolio came from that same email address.
Brown says the first time she knew the info portal belonged to Essa was through the Commission. Brown says all people who were appointed by her were supposed to have been vetted by her department’s legal and governance unit.
She is surprised names of people to serve at boards were influenced by people from outside the organisation.
“Yes I am surprised. I’m shocked about something. Is it true? But that’s just the point I wanted to make about the Fundudzi report. And the report goes further and says I gave some land … and I sent a CV of somebody to UWC. They go further to say all those kind of things. Did I commit fraud, corruption in it ? No.”
She rejected claims that the Guptas influenced her decision in choosing board members at Eskom.
While admitting to have known Ajay Gupta, Brown said she had no idea at the time that some of the board members appointed at the parastatal in 2014 had links to the family that’s said to have wielded enormous political influence in South Africa, with some alleging that it even tried to capture the state to advance its business interests.
