Brian Molefe Eskom

The Eskom CEO role is up for grabs. It may be the toughest job in South Africa. How much would you expect to be paid to fill the hot seat? Photo: Gallo Images / City Press / Lucky Nxumalo

Watch: Molefe and Madonsela face-off in a heated interview

Brian Molefe lashed out at former public protector Thuli Madonsela on live TV.

Brian Molefe Eskom

The Eskom CEO role is up for grabs. It may be the toughest job in South Africa. How much would you expect to be paid to fill the hot seat? Photo: Gallo Images / City Press / Lucky Nxumalo

More than three years since a tearful Molefe lashed out at then public protector Madonsela over her State of Capture report, the former Eskom CEO has again butted heads with her, claiming he was never afforded the opportunity to respond to allegations of corruption.

In an interview with DStv’s Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday night, the former public protector called in to the current affairs programme Your View, where Molefe was being interviewed by Thabo Mdluli on several matters, including his scandal-plagued tenure at the power utility and the current electricity crisis.

Molefe accused Madonsela of never giving him the opportunity to state his side of the story and simply going ahead with releasing her damning report.

“The Public Protector Act is very clear. When the public protector comes across allegations, the first thing they do, is inform you about it before they even write a report,” he said.

“You were informed there were allegations against you. You were informed there were allegations against the entire leadership of Eskom. And regarding the issue of the cellphone [tracking]…you were asked if you had ever been there [Gupta’s home in Saxonwold] and you denied it,” Madonsela responded.

State of Capture report: How Molefe was implicated

Molefe is one of several people whom, along with former president Jacob Zuma, are accused of enabling the looting of state funds and resources by the Guptas. The family formerly owned the Optimum mine which supplied coal to Eskom – securing billions of rands in contracts.

Madonsela released her report in October 2016.

The report included cellphone evidence which not only revealed that Molefe had made dozens of phone calls to Ajay Gupta – the oldest Gupta brother, but also placed him at the family’s home in Saxonwold, Johannesburg – at least 19 times between August 2015 and March 2016.

Watch: Molefe and Madonsela go head-to-head

In a subsequent press briefing, a visibly upset – at some point even reduced to tears – Molefe hit back at the report’s details, which even alluded to him having frequented a shebeen in the Gupta’s neighbourhood.

“My cellphone reflects that I was in Saxonwold 14 times, close to the head of proverbial goats. My cellphone reflects I was in the area,” said Molefe.

“There’s a shebeen there, two streets away from the Guptas. I will not admit or deny that I’ve gone to the shebeen”

The existence of the infamous Saxonwold shebeen is yet to be confirmed and despite hinting at it, Molefe clarified in the interview that he did not specifically say that he had been at the shebeen.